Aston Villa are still woefully short of centre backs.
Aston Villa presented Dean Smith as their new manager on Monday – and he has quickly identified one area of weakness in his squad.
Smith left Brentford for Villa a week ago, becoming Steve Bruce’s replacement just a week after his sacking following a torrid run of form.
A boyhood Villa fan, Smith has been a popular appointment for many, and he should be looking to bring the attacking style that he showcased at Brentford and Walsall.
However, Smith also needs to focus on the defensive side, as he suggested in his introductory press conference that Villa’s squad is unbalanced, as central defensive options are lacking.
Axel Tuanzebe and James Chester are the only proven centre backs at Smith’s disposal, and with the January transfer window still over two months away, free agents must be considered.
Predecessor Bruce did in fact look to this avenue, as he brought in ex-Villa defender James Collins for a trial, but his future has been left up in the air following Bruce’s sacking.
Now, Smith must look to push through that deal for Collins, giving Villa a proven defender to step in and solve the problems at the back before Smith can go and bring in another option in January.
Collins, 35, has already had one spell with Villa, and has been a free agent since leaving West Ham United over the summer, with the veteran looking for a new club – hence his trial period with Villa.
Strong and dominant in the air, Collins would add real leadership to the Villa back four, whilst he already has a strong rapport with Chester having played together for Wales on the international stage.
In terms of a free agent, Collins is the best on the market right now – and with Smith clearly feeling that Villa need a centre back as soon as possible, he should be looking to push through a deal that Bruce started by signing Collins.
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