Olympique Lyonnais have signed striker Milan Baroš from Aston Villa FC, with fellow forward John Carew travelling in the opposite direction.

Houllier factor
The move reunites the Czech international with Lyon coach Gérard Houllier, the manager who had brought him to Liverpool FC from FC Baník Ostrava during the 2001/02 campaign. "He is eligible for the UEFA Champions League and has lots of experience and motivation," Houllier said of his acquisition, who will have a three-and-a-half year contract at Stade Gerland. Norway target man Carew, 27, has committed to Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa for a similar period.

Mixed fortunes
Baroš spent three full seasons at Anfield, including the triumphant UEFA Champions League run of 2004/05, before joining Liverpool's Premiership rivals Villa for a fee in the region of €9m at the start of last term. However, the 25-year-old failed to reproduce his prolific national-team form – he has 30 goals in 53 games for his country – at the Birmingham-based club. Baroš has been limited to ten league starts in 2006/07, yielding a solitary strike, and he had long been the subject of transfer speculation. He is the French champions and Ligue 1 leaders' second January signing after CS Sedan-Ardennes full-back Nadir Belhadj, who has been loaned back to Sedan.

Fresh start
Carew leaves Lyon with a championship medal to show for his 18-month spell in French football following previous stints with Vålerenga IF, Rosenborg BK, Valencia CF, AS Roma and Beşiktaş JK. In all, he scored ten goals in 35 Ligue 1 outings. His new team, who according to reports in France will also receive cash for Baroš, sit 14th in the Premiership.