Could Aston Villa make Scott McKenna their most expensive defensive signing?

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Aberdeen’s Scottish Premiership centre-back Scott McKenna still appears to be a target for Aston Villa’s Championship manager Steve Bruce.

Thanks to new owners Naseef Sawiris and Wes Edens, Aston Villa should have some money to spend in January after the last couple of transfer windows scrimping and saving due to concerns about breaching Financial Fair Play regulations.

And this could enable Steve Bruce to break Villa’s transfer record for a defender.

As it stands, the most expensive defender in Villa’s history is Jordan Amavi, the attack-minded left-back who arrived from Nice in 2015 for £9 million.

But the Championship outfit might be forced to pay more than that if they want to bring Scott McKenna to Villa Park. According to the Evening Express, Aberdeen rejected a £7 million summer bid from Villa for their 21-year-old centre-back.

Although with only one natural centre-back on Villa’s books, Bruce has indicated that he could renew his interest in McKenna in the New Year.

“He is someone we have had a look at, Scott. But there are two or three other players in Scotland we have been looking at as well,” he told the Evening Express.

The Daily Record reported that Aberdeen are determined not to lose McKenna on the cheap and value him at £10 million. With the Dons playing hardball, Villa might have to break their own defensive transfer record to tempt Derek McInnes’s side into a sale.

Villa have been linked with a number of free agents on short-term deals. But McKenna, who has already captained Scotland, would be a great signing for now and the future.