Aston Villa will "definitely" have to sign a centre-back before the window closes due to the severity of Diego Carlos' injury, according to The Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

The summer signing is expected to be out until 2023 after suffering an Achilles injury in just his second appearance for the club.

What happened to Carlos?

Carlos arrived from Sevilla for £26m earlier this summer but went straight into the team for Villa's opening day game with Bournemouth.

Despite the 2-0 defeat, the 29-year-old kept his place in the side for the meeting with Everton the following week and was seconds away from enjoying a dream home debut, with Villa leading 2-1.

GiveMeSport The Verdict

However, disaster struck in stoppage-time when Carlos ruptured his Achilles tendon, which is set to keep him on the sidelines for around six months and could see him ruled out until the New Year.

The Brazilian has undergone surgery on the issue, which will see him miss the majority of his first season in English football, in what is a major blow to Steven Gerrard's plans.

Having allowed Kortney Hause to move on loan to Watford, Gerrard's centre-backs options have reduced significantly, with Ezri Konsa, Calum Chambers and Tyrone Mings his only current fit central defenders.

With that in mind, Taylor reckons the Villa boss simply has to bring in reinforcements before the window closes next week.

What did Taylor say about Aston Villa?

He told GIVEMESPORT: "I know they've got Chambers, who in fairness is not a bad backup, but given the length of Carlos' injury, I think they will have to look at potential ones and I definitely think they will have to bring someone in."

What centre-backs have Aston Villa been linked with?

According to reports in Spain, Carlos' injury has led Villa to dip back into the market and they're now interested in Arsenal defender Rob Holding.

Holding has racked up more than 135 appearances during his six years with the Gunners, but the return of William Saliba has pushed him even further down the pecking order, with the ex-Bolton ace making just nine Premier League starts last season.

Further reports in Spain also claim that Villa are eyeing a move for ex-Manchester City ace Jason Denayer, who's a free agent following his release at the end of his contract in June, while Gerrard's side have also launched a loan offer for Southampton's Jan Bednarek.