Vlaar has signed a three-year contract and joins Villa in a deal worth around £3million.

"I am looking forward to following in the footsteps of players such as Paul McGrath, Olof Mellberg and Martin Laursen, of course - all of them great players for this club," the 27-year-old told the club's official website.

"But I also do things for myself because I want to get the very best out of myself. I can't do it alone, I also need the other players in the team as well as the fans, who are so important. By us all working hard for one another, we can achieve our goals.

"We must work together to make things better and to get good results. We have to do it on the pitch and, with the support of the fans, we can get it going together.

"Over time I hope my relationship with the fans at Villa becomes the same as it was at Feyenoord. I was at Feyenoord for seven years and the fans were good for me. It would be great to experience the same here and I will strive to achieve this."

He continued: "I am very happy to be here and I am really excited about getting started.

"This is a dream come true for me. With my past, I am very proud but I always look forward and this is a great opportunity. I am very happy that Villa have given me this chance.

"For me, I want to play a lot and improve my play and do well with the team. That's most important.

"I am 27 years old and I know my best years are ahead of me. I feel fit and strong and I am looking forward very much to playing my first game.

"I have had good conversations with the club and with the manager. I am looking forward to training under him and seeing what we can do together."

"Ron is a really good defender and he has a wealth of experience for both Holland and a big football club in Feyenoord, so I'm delighted we have got him here to Villa," said Villa boss Paul Lambert.

"I like the way the guy wants to do well. He's hungry and he wants to succeed. He's also a really good, strong defender and hopefully we will get the benefit of him in our team.

"Certainly, I have no worries about his career so far. He's captained Feyenoord, who finished second last season in the Dutch Eredivisie to qualify for the Champions League, and he's been in the Dutch international set-up and was part of the Euros, so he's a proper player.

"He'll bring something to the club, no doubt about it."