Journalist Luke Hatfield has given his thoughts on the future of Aston Villa defender Kortney Hause.

What has Hatfield said about Hause?

The 6 foot 3 centre-back is into the final year of his contract at Villa Park, meaning that he will have to make a decision about the next stage of his career shortly.

Hatfield believes that Villa will allow the 26-year-old to leave if he wants to, but has also claimed that the club would be open to the idea of keeping him on board as he remains a solid back-up option for Dean Smith's men.

Talking to GIVEMESPORT, Hatfield said: “If he does want to go out and play then Villa, I don’t think, will deny him that opportunity. Equally, Villa will be happy to keep him around because he’s clearly someone who offers competition, and can fill in well because this isn’t a player who’s not played for years and years.

“He does come in, and every time he does, he normally looks the part as well, offers them really good aerial presence. And for Villa, I think Dean Smith is very happy having him as a back-up. If he’s happy to continue playing in that role then I’m sure they’ll come to an agreement and he’ll probably end up sticking around, but, like I said, if he does want to get out and get a move and play much more regularly, then I don’t think Villa will stand in his way.”

GIVEMESPORT giveaway

ENTER GIVEAWAY

Does Hause have any chance of breaking into Villa's starting XI?

It seems unlikely. 

Hause now appears to be the fourth-choice centre-back at Villa, behind Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Axel Tuanzebe in the pecking order. This means that he would need to rely on a couple of these players getting injured or picking up suspensions in order to get some game time.

He has played just a single minute in the league so far this term, indicating that he is no more than a fringe player at this point.

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Is it time for him to move away?

It could be.

The giant defender has been limited to just 36 league appearances in his three full seasons at Villa, highlighting how he has never been able to fully establish himself in the side.

Given the centre-backs that Smith currently have at his disposal, it appears that Hause will continue to have a restricted role at the club if he opts to stay.

At 26, he should be entering his prime, and a transfer in January or next summer may be the best option for him if he wants to have the chance to fulfill his potential.