CHERRIES captain Tommy Elphick’s much-anticipated move to Aston Villa has been confirmed.

Centre-half Elphick, 28, has signed a three-year deal at Villa Park for an undisclosed fee, understood to be £3.25million. 

The Daily Echo understands Elphick's former club Brighton are entitled to a sell-on. He joined Cherries for an undisclosed fee – believed to have been around £175,000 – in August 2012. 

Elphick made 145 appearances across four seasons in the red and black, scoring six goals.

He captained Cherries to promotion from League One, 10th in the second tier – then the club's best league finish – and the Championship title in his first three seasons in Dorset. 

But injury curtailed Elphick’s first season in the top flight but six of his 12 top-flight appearances came at the end of the campaign. He started the crucial 2-1 win at Villa in April and scored his first Premier League goal against Chelsea two weeks later.

Cherries chief executive Neill Blake told the club website: “I would like to place on record my thanks, and that of everyone connected with AFC Bournemouth, to Tommy Elphick for his service to this football club over the past four years.

“He has been a model professional throughout his time here and will now leave behind the legacy of being this club’s most successful captain.

“It is always difficult to say goodbye to people who have played such a huge part in our success but we now wish him all the best in his next challenge at Aston Villa."