Aston Villa will look to address their weaknesses at centre-back in the January transfer window, according to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans.
Following the departure of former loanee Axel Tuanzebe, new manager Steven Gerrard has been left relatively light on options at the heart of defence.
What is the latest news involving Aston Villa?
The 6 foot 1 Manchester United academy graduate decided to cut his time at Villa short earlier this month after making just 11 appearances before being sent to Napoli for the remainder of the campaign.
That has left Gerrard with Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Kortney Hause as his only natural options at centre-back.
At the same time, Villa have already been linked with a player who could solve their issues at the back in Liverpool's Joe Gomez.
In recent years, Gomez has showcased his truly top-class potential for the Merseyside outfit, and his arrival would surely be warmly welcomed by the Villa fanbase.
The 24-year-old is yet to start a Premier League game this term and could be offered a way out of Anfield by former Reds star Gerrard this winter.
With Philippe Coutinho expected to arrive at the Midlands club shortly and Lucas Digne potentially following in his footsteps, it’s set to be a busy month at Villa Park.
And Evans believes a new centre-back could be next on their wish list as they look to continue their recent progression both on and off the pitch.
What has Evans said about Villa?
The journalist revealed he is unsure who Gerrard will target to reinforce his defensive options but confirmed that area is something ‘they will look at now’.
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Evans told GiveMeSport: “They're obviously going to be short on centre-backs with Axel Tuanzebe moving. So, that will be an area they look at now.
“In terms of who they're after at centre-back, I don't know yet, but there’s still 20-odd days in the window to go.”
Do Villa need a new centre-back?
Villa have recorded just two clean sheets in their eight Premier League outings under the guidance of Gerrard, something the retired England international will be keen to improve upon.
And while their defensive record of conceding 30 goals in their opening 19 top-flight fixtures is far from a disaster, some individual performances have left room for improvement.
None of Mings, Konsa and Hause are in Villa’s top-six performances this season, as per WhoScored, meaning Gerrard may be tempted to secure some extra cover and competition in January.
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