Aston Villa are drawing up plans to sign a new left-back with Neil Taylor due to become a free agent at the end of the season, as reported by the Birmingham Mail.
Unfortunately for this long-serving veteran, he appears to have been left behind as Villa continue to blossom from Championship also-rans into genuine Europa League contenders.
Taylor featured in 73 league games during his three full seasons in claret and blue but, like James Chester, Jonathan Kodjia and Glenn Whelan before him, is now in danger of being replaced as Aston Villa’s revival continues unabated.
The former Swansea man has not made a single Premier League appearance in 2020/21.
And, according to reports from the Midlands, Aston Villa are starting to look at successors, with Taylor entering the final few months of his £32,000-a-week contract.
The 31-year-old is free to speak to interested parties in January, although the Mail believe that the dependable full-back will stay until the summer before departing on a free transfer.
Whether Aston Villa can find a left-sided defender capable of ousting the eternally-underrated Matt Targett, however, remains to be seen.
The £18 million Englishman is one of the first names on Dean Smith’s team-sheet these days and has forged an impressive understanding with the magisterial Jack Grealish on the wing.
The Mail adds that Villa plan to identify left-back targets this month, with new sporting director Johan Lange set to play a major role.
However, the Premier League high-flyers are not expected to make any bids until the summer.
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