Matthew Lowton: Aston Villa defender agrees new contract

Aston Villa defender Matthew Lowton has agreed a new four-year deal to keep him at Villa Park until 2017.

The 24-year-old full-back missed just one league game last season after arriving from Sheffield United in July.

"We feel part of something here and feel strongly that we're building something exciting and positive for the club," he told the club's website.

Lowton becomes the seventh first-team player to have signed a new contract at the Premier League club this summer.

Fellow defenders Ciaran Clark and Nathan Baker, goalkeeper Brad Guzan, midfielders Samir Carruthers and Ashley Westwood, and striker Andi Weimann have all committed their futures to the club.

Meanwhile Villa have also been very active in the transfer market so far during the close season, signing goalkeeper Jed Steer, defenders Antonio Luna and Jores Okore, midfielder Leandro Bacuna, winger Aleksandar Tonev and striker Nicklas Helenius.

"It is a very exciting time for the club," said Lowton.

"We went through some difficult periods last season but we finished strongly and had won a lot of people over by the end of the season.

"The fans were with us all the way though and they made themselves heard home and away superbly well and that's something that really helps the team and is appreciated greatly by all the lads.

"Everyone could see what the gaffer was working towards and over the second half of the season it showed."