TYRONE Mings admitted he left Cherries with a “very heavy heart” after completing his move to Aston Villa.

Cherries agreed a deal, believed to be worth around £26.5million, with the Midlands outfit on Sunday and the deal was concluded swiftly today.

The transfer smashes Cherries’ club-record fee received for a player sale, eclipsing the price of around £12million Newcastle paid for Matt Ritchie in 2016.

Posting on Twitter, Mings said: “I close this chapter of my career with a very heavy heart, sometimes things don’t work out how you planned and unfortunately I wasn’t able to achieve the things I wanted to at AFC Bournemouth.

“I will be forever grateful for the opportunity the manager and the club gave me.”

The 26-year-old departs Cherries having made 23 appearances for Dorset club.

He spent the second half of the 2018-19 season on loan at Villa Park, playing a key role in helping Dean Smith’s side earn promotion to the Premier League through the Championship play-offs.

The Bath-born talent joined Cherries in the summer of 2015, but suffered an injury-ravaged spell on the south coast since his £8million switch from Ipswich.

He spent more than a year out after a serious knee injury six minutes into his Premier League debut against Leicester City in August 2015 before missing eight months of 2017-18 season following a stress fracture to his spine in the early stages of the campaign.

The centre-back signed a “long-term” contract with Cherries in September 2017, however, made just seven appearances for Eddie Howe’s side last season, most recently the 4-1 defeat against Manchester United on December 30.

During his loan spell at the Midlands club, Mings made 18 appearances and scored two goals.

Mings could face a quick reunion with Cherries when Howe’s men travel to Villa Park on August 17.

Villa boss Smith said: “We’re really pleased to have Tyrone back at Aston Villa on a permanent basis. I think everybody could see the connection that he made with the club as a whole and it is excellent news that we can continue the relationship in the Premier League. 

“He will be an integral part of the squad for the new season and I look forward to working with him and helping to further develop his game.”