Aston Villa are keen to sign a new centre-half after Diego Carlos suffered an Achilles injury, so here are five free agents for Steven Gerrard to now consider – including Jason Denayer.
Free agent centre-backs Aston Villa can sign after Diego Carlos injury
Steven Gerrard wants to sign a centre-half after Aston Villa lost Diego Carlos for up to nine months through an injury. That is according to the Express & Star, who note the Brazilian is to miss almost all of his maiden Premier League season after rupturing his Achilles tendon.
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Carlos has required surgery to mend his Achilles after sustaining significant damage during the Villans’ 2-1 win over Everton. The Villa Park affair marked the 29-year-old’s home bow, having joined the Birmingham outfit from Sevilla on a four-year contract for £26m in June.
Gerrard had started Carlos at home to Everton and in Aston Villa’s first fixture of the term at Bournemouth. He viewed the 29-year-old as his new defensive general, but has shifted the Villans’ late-window transfer plans to now sign a replacement to add depth in the role.
Ezri Konsa played with Carlos at Bournemouth, while Tyrone Mings started against Everton after slipping in Gerrard’s pecking order. The Villa Park boss can also use Calum Chambers or Kortney Hause, although Watford are still hopeful of signing Hause before the sales end.
Aston Villa are likely to explore the loan market to sign a new centre-back, who can step in while Carlos recovers from his injury. But there are a host of viable free agents, who could provide Gerrard with a longer-term option as he bids to better the Villans’ defensive skill.
Aston Villa are interested in free agent Jason Denayer after Diego Carlos injury
One free agent Aston Villa can sign to replace Carlos after his injury is Jason Denayer after his departure from Lyon. And Estadio Deportivo report Gerrard is interested in the Belgian, who spent four seasons at the Groupama Stadium after leaving Manchester City in 2018.
Denayer is yet to sign for a new club, despite attracting a wealth of interest around Europe this summer. Valencia are one outfit claimed to have explored the 27-year-old, who played 139 games at Lyon – including in 17 Champions League and five Europa League matches.
Reports by Foot Mercato also cite further teams in Spain, plus in England and Turkey, with an interest in Denayer. While FC Inter News claim the 35-cap international’s agent recently offered him to Inter Milan. But Denayer asked for a €3m-a-season (£49k-a/w) net contract.
Denayer also wants a four-year contract, which only teams in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are willing to match. He would prefer to remain in Europe, but Valencia’s offer of a €1.7m-a/s (£28k-a/w), three-year deal was lacking, whilst Torino have offered €2m-a/s (£32.5k-a/w).
Dan-Axel Zagadou remains an option after Borussia Dortmund departure
Dan-Axel Zagadou also remains a free agent option who Gerrard can consider following his departure from Borussia Dortmund. Although The Sun have claimed that West Ham United are eager to beat Jose Mourinho’s Roma and Inter Milan to a deal with the 6 ft 5 enforcer.
BVB allowed Zagadou to leave the Westfalenstadion at the end of his contract in June after two injury-hit seasons in Germany. But David Moyes feels the 23-year-old can be a perfect late arrival for his injury-hit backline at the London Stadium before the market slams shut.
Zagadou can offer rafts of experience of competing at the top-end of the Bundesliga and in UEFA tournaments. The former France U21 international left Borussia Dortmund after 92 appearances across all competitions, but was never a consistent first-choice name for BVB.
Yet being just 23, Zagadou can offer Aston Villa a long-term solution at centre-half, as well as a replacement for Carlos following his injury. When the enforcer has featured, he offers an imposing presence at centre-half and has proven to be pretty quick, despite his height.
John Anthony Brooks can help Steven Gerrard build new Villa Park defensive wall
John Anthony Brooks can help Gerrard build his new defensive wall at Villa Park with a deal to sign the free agent. He left Wolfsburg at the end of his contract this June after five years at the Bundesliga club, which saw the 29-year-old feature in 146 games in all competitions.
The USMNT enforcer remained a mainstay of the Wolfsburg unit through to his departure. Yet Brooks is still to join a new side, despite Kicker citing interest from Hoffenheim in June for a defender who had cost Wolfsburg $20m (£17m) – the former record for an American.
Brooks will want to get his future sorted in time to build form ahead of the World Cup this winter. And the Berlin-born star has the pedigree to make it in the Premier League, having been dubbed the ‘Wall of Brooks’ after breaking through from the Hertha Berlin academy.
Steven Gerrard can add Premier League experience in Michael Hector
Gerrard can add a free agent centre-back with some Premier League experience to replace the injured Carlos at Aston Villa with former Fulham defender Michael Hector. The 35-cap Jamaica international left Craven Cottage at the end of his contract in June after two years.
Hector switched to Fulham from west London neighbours Chelsea following five years on the Blues’ books, which included loan spells to Reading, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday. Yet the 30-year-old never made a single appearance with Chelsea.
Fulham allowed Hector – an £8m signing – 40 appearances across all competitions during his time at Craven Cottage. He also provided the Cottagers an option to play in defensive midfield, and offers height in the backline at 6 ft 3 without expecting to start every match.
Naby Sarr can impose himself at Villa Park after Huddersfield Town exit
Naby Sarr can impose himself at Villa Park after leaving Huddersfield Town this June. The Terriers let the 29-year-old leave the John Smith’s Stadium following two years at the club for 66 appearances. Only at Charlton Athletic from 2017 to 2020 has he played more (116).
Huddersfield signed Sarr as a free agent in 2020 after their relegation to the Championship and he proved vital. The Senegalese defender featured 41 times, offered four goals and an assist in his debut second-tier term. But fell out of favour last season, despite three goals.
Gerrard could now benefit from the 6 ft 5 enforcer’s imposing presence and goal threat at Villa Park. Sarr would offer a capable stand-in and depth at centre-back, without concerns that a loanee would come with his parent club expecting to see their player play regularly.
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