James Chester’s future at Aston Villa is allegedly in doubt so should West Ham United take a closer look at the defender?
There could be a big summer of change at Aston Villa, with several players linked with exits after their failure to earn promotion to the Premier League.
The Villans’ 1-0 defeat to Fulham in the Championship playoff final will, according to the Telegraph, put the club in a very precarious position next season when it comes to breaking Financial Fair Play rules.
As a result the Birmingham club will need to be frugal in the transfer market, which means no new contract for captain John Terry, no permanent deals for loanees Lewis Grabban, Sam Johnstone and Robert Snodgrass and the futures of key players Jack Grealish, Jonathan Kodjia and James Chester cast into doubt.
It is the latter on that list that should perhaps pique the interest of West Ham United, who as Sky Sports reports are currently looking at two other central defenders in Genoa’s Armando Izzo and Marlon Santos of Barcelona.
New manager Manuel Pellegrini is keen to shore the Hammers up at the back after they had the joint worst defensive record in the English top flight in 2017/18 alongside relegated Stoke City, conceding 68 goals.
In contrast, Chester played every league one of Villa’s 46 league matches and helped them to a defensive record only better in the second tier by automatically promoted duo Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City.
The Wales international will turn 30 next January, but then does also have some much sought after experience in England’s top tier with the likes of Hull City and West Bromwich Albion.
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