Aston Villa will be handed a "huge boost" when Diego Carlos makes his return from injury, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

The centre-back arrived at Villa Park for £26m in the summer transfer window, but Unai Emery has been unable to call upon him so far due to an injury sustained back in August.

What is the latest news involving Carlos?

Villa confirmed that Carlos had ruptured his Achilles tendon in a victory against Everton in the second game of the season, and he was expected to be out for a minimum of six months, in what came as a massive blow to former manager Steven Gerrard's plans.

Going by that timescale, the 29-year-old would not be expected to return until February, however a new update has transpired that indicates he may be back sooner than expected.

Birmingham Live report that the £100k-a-week earner is now out of his protective boot, and is ahead of schedule in terms of what date he will return, with it now expected that he could make his comeback in the New Year.

The report also states that Emery is a fan of the defender, and he is looking forward to having him fit and available in 2023.

What has O'Rourke said about Carlos?

O'Rourke claims that Carlos has been a huge miss for Villa up to this point, but believes that when he is back to full fitness, he will offer a lot to the team, telling GIVEMESPORT: "I think he's been a big loss in that defence where Villa have conceded a lot of goals, they've tightened up under Unai Emery, but I think if Emery could call upon Diego Carlos between now and the end of the season, it would be a huge boost for the whole squad."

How much will Carlos improve Villa?

Not only is the 6 foot enforcer a quality defender, but he was already emerging as a key figure in the Villa Park dressing room, with journalist Gregg Evans claiming he was a part of the "leadership group" at the club.

As such, the Villans have clearly missed his presence on the pitch, while they are also missing his defensive abilities, picking up just one clean sheet in their last eight games.

During his time with Sevilla last season, the Brazilian weighed in with an average SofaScore rating of 7.09, the joint-second highest of any player in the squad, thanks in part to his superb blocking ability, averaging 1.58 per 90 minutes over the past year, placing him in the 85th percentile compared to his positional peers.

In his last game before injury, Carlos also displayed his aerial ability, winning all of his duels in the air, highlighting another element of his game, and so when he makes his return, it will not be surprising if he emerges as a key player for Emery during the remainder of the season.