"I am thrilled ..." New York head coach Bruce Arena said. "It is no secret that we have been searching for a striker since the end of the 2006 season, and Juan Pablo has been at the top of my list since Day One."

Angel, 31, joined Aston Villa in 2001 following a 9.5 million pound transfer from Argentina's River Plate. He scored 62 goals in 205 games for Aston Villa. Angel had four goals in 23 English Premiership games last year, and added three goals in League Cup contests. His best season with Aston Villa was in 2003 when he scored 23 goals in 38 games.

"I am delighted to be joining the New York Red Bulls," said Angel, who has four goals in 18 appearances for the Colombian national team. "I cannot wait to start this new exciting challenge. I believe Major League Soccer is growing fast and I am very keen to be a part of this."

Before joining Aston Villa, Angel scored 45 goals in 91 games for River Plate from 1997-2001, helping the team win four Primera Division championships in five seasons. He started his career in his native Colombia with hometown team Nacional Medellin, scoring nine goals from 1993-97.

The 6-foot-1 Angel is the second designated player added by New York - Claudio Reyna is the other - and is the team's fourth senior international. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Juan Pablo has both the physical attributes and the intellect of a world class striker that will certainly help us become a better team," Red Bulls technical director Jeff Agoos said. "He is a natural leader up front with the ability to finish plays off, which is something we have been looking for since the end of last season. We are extremely excited to bring a player of his caliber to the New York Red Bulls."

New York is unbeaten in two games this season. The Red Bulls opened the year with a scoreless draw at Columbus and defeated FC Dallas, 3-0, on Sunday. The Red Bulls host defending MLS champion Houston on Saturday.