Our view: Aston Villa will hope reported target Domagoj Vida can replicate World Cup heroics

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Premier League strugglers Aston Villa want Besiktas’ Domagoj Vida to save them from relegation – can he rediscover his World Cup form?

It’s fair to say Dejan Lovren took plenty of confidence out of Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup final.

“I think people should recognise that I’m one of the best defenders in the world and not just talk nonsense,” the much-maligned Liverpool stopper told BeIN Sports (11 July, 2018) ahead of the Moscow decider against France.

But a man who once became the most expensive defender in Liverpool’s history when he swapped Southampton for Merseyside in a £20 million deal wasn’t even Croatia’s best centre-back during that remarkable summer in Russia.

Instead, that honour went to a battle-scarred veteran, his golden ponytail blowing in the summer breeze.

Domagoj Vida saved the best performances of his career for the biggest stage of all, transforming into Eastern Europe’s answer to Carles Puyol as Croatia defeated both Argentina and England, not to mention the hosts themselves, en route to their first ever final appearance.

He even outshone Lovren along the way, producing a colossal performance to keep the likes of Lionel Messi, Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling off the scoresheet.

Throwing his body on the line and even scoring a superb penalty in the round of 16 triumph over Denmark, Vida was arguably the finest central defender at the entire tournament – and, yes, we’re including Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane in that.

Some 18 months on, Vida could join his defensive partner Lovren in the Premier League. Struggling Aston Villa and Watford are interested, according to Turkish Football, with Besiktas’ financial problems meaning they will be forced to cash in on their £56,000-a-week veteran should an acceptable offer arrive.

Sabah suggests he could cost £8 million.

If a vulnerable Villa or a wasteful Watford are to avoid an immediate return to the Championship, they will be hoping that Vida is capable of reaching such remarkable levels once again.