da apostaganha： Aston Villa are set to compete with Watford to sign Besiktas centre-back Domagoj Vida during the January transfer window, as reported by Turkish-Football.
da cassino： The Turkish giants have turned down advances for the 2018 World Cup finalist in the previous two windows, but they are not in a position to do so this time around.
That is because they are looking to reduce their wage bill and the 30-year-old is their highest-paid player.
Villa do already have Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa, Bjorn Engels, James Chester and Kortney Hause on their books so it could be seen as an excessive move.
Vida has been linked with moves to Arsenal in the past so this would be a stepdown if he did eventually move to the Premier League.
But with a possible switch to the Midlands on the cards, FFC writers have given their opinions on whether this would be a wise move for the club.
Kealan Hughes
“The injury to Tyrone Mings shows Aston Villa are actually quite vulnerable at the back this season and could do with a more resolute defence if they are to move away from the relegation places.
“Bjorn Engels has averaged just 0.8 tackles per game and the fact he was dropped recently suggests Dean Smith hasn’t been happy with his performances, and although Ezri Konsa has done well at times, he still has a lot to learn.
“That’s why Domagoj Vida could be the ideal fit for Villa. He is incredibly experienced having played in multiple countries and even in the World Cup final. The leadership he could add to the back four could be a huge lift.
“Even this season he has been a key performer in the Europa League with 2.4 interceptions and 3.4 clearances per game, highlighting the no-nonsense attitude he’d bring to Villa Park, an attribute they would certainly benefit from.”
Red Herring or Real Hero: Only hardcore Villa fans will get all of them right….
Billy Meyers
“What would the point in this deal be? Aston Villa are comfortably well-stocked in the centre-back department and have absolutely no need for another central defender within their ranks.
“Dean Smith should be targeting other areas of the transfer market to improve his team. Vida is also 30 years of age, and would not be a good long-term signing for the Villans – he is reportedly one of the highest earners at Besiktas too so that just makes this transfer rumour seem all the more foolish.
“Mings, Engels and Konsa have shipped 28 Premier League goals this season, the fifth-most in the Premier League, although there is nothing to suggest that Vida would be the man to transform the Midlands-based side drastically – even if he did, how long could he be able to do it for at his age?”
Matt Dawson
“If you look at the list of Villa’s centre-backs, only James Chester is above the age of 30 and with the Welshman possessing a permanent injury problem that will plague him for the rest of his career, signing someone with pedigree and experience could be vitally important.
“Vida showed his qualities at the 2018 World Cup, helping Croatia reach the final before they crumbled in the final against France. That was a long time ago, however, and after not securing a move last time out, perhaps it says something about his ability to perform on a consistent basis. Dean Smith has multiple options at his disposal in his backline and perhaps they’d get more out of developing someone like Ezri Konsa.
“That being said, more nouse and know-how of the game may be pivotal in helping the Villans stay up. Vida has a certain aggressiveness to his game that could be particularly beneficial.”
Danny Lewis
“Villa would be going a bit overboard if they were to sign Vida, without selling their current centre-backs, due to the fact that they already have five.
“Having played in a World Cup final and been involved in Europa League football this campaign, he could certainly end up being a useful option.
“However, Smith does need to consider squad harmony and the amount of playing time he will be able to give his defenders when making this decision.”
In other news, Villa fans don’t feel like Tyrone Mings will be missed during his injury.