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Dean Smith plan would puzzle Aston Villa’s Tommy Elphick

Dean Smith manager of Aston Villa during a press conference at Villa Park Stadium on October 15, 2018 in Birmingham, England. (Catherine Ivill/Gett...
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Tommy Elphick will be miffed if Aston Villa boss Dean Smith brings in another centre-back.

Bolton Wanderers' Clayton Donaldson shoots under pressure from Hull City's Tommy Elphick at Macron Stadium on October 27, 2018 in Bolton, England.

Aston Villa have more central defenders than you can shake a stick at, but it looks like Dean Smith wants another.

Smith, who already has Axel Tuanzebe, James Chester, Tommy Elphick and Kortney Hause on the books at Aston Villa, told The Birmingham Mail that he wants yet another.

It’s fair enough, because Tuanzebe is injured, Chester has been playing through pain and there’s no guarantees that Hause – signed on loan from Wolves this month – will be a hit.

But Elphick must be wondering why the VIlla boss recalled him from Hull City.

The former Bournemouth defender, a £3 million signing in 2016 [Sky Sports], was a regular fixture in a good Hull team, but now he’ll be lucky to get a kick when everybody is fit.

If Smith brings in another centre-back then it’s very possible that Elphick could be fifth-choice, and going from first-team football with the Tigers to the fringes at Aston Villa might annoy him.

The 31-year-old will be wondering why Smith brought him back and if another centre-half is signed, to the detriment of his playing time, who could blame him?

Tommy Elphick of Villa in action during the pre- season friendly between Aston Villa and Middlesbrough at Villa Park on July 30, 2016 in Birmingham, England.