Sources: Aston Villa plot move for star to replace Tyrone Mings
Aston Villa are in the market for a left-sided centre-back to cast new doubt on Tyrone Mings’ future, sources have told Football Insider.
Steven Gerrard wanted the England international, 29, out in the summer and axed him from the captaincy before starting him on the bench for the opening-day defeat to Bournemouth.
The former manager then felt he had no choice but to reinstate Mings in the team, and he has started every all bar one of the 11 subsequent Premier League matches this term as well as surviving Gerrard.
But Villa are planning for a future without Mings as a key member of their starting XI under new manager Unai Emery.
Football Insider revealed on Thursday that Emery will be backed with “huge” funds in the January window.
One of the priorities, already discussed by Emery and club chiefs, is to recruit a top-class left-sided centre-back who can fit into the manager’s playing style.
That position has been filled in the past four seasons by Mings, who has been an untouchable first choice as well as a dressing room leader.
But the former club captain did not convince Gerrard, even though he had to row back and reinstate him in the team following the failure to sell him.
Mings has just over 18 months remaining on his contract at Villa Park.
The centre-back has played the best football of his career at the Midlands club, who he joined initially on loan in January 2019 before completing a permanent move from Bournemouth in the following window.
Speaking to the Guardian (8 February), the England international revealed he was loving life under the “absolutely brilliant“ Steven Gerrard.
In other news, Aston Villa owners green light ‘huge’ January spending spree.