Aston Villa have been dealt a huge blow after big-money signing Diego Carlos ruptured his Achilles tendon in the 2-1 win over Everton on Saturday.
The towering defender limped off towards the end of the game at Villa Park and left the stadium on crutches, with fears he could now miss the majority of the season. Carlos joined the club from Sevilla for £28million earlier in the window and impressed on his home debut before being taken off with a serious injury.
This is likely to see Villa dip into the transfer market for another centre-back before the window slams shut on September 1. Tyrone Mings was recalled to the starting XI on the weekend at the expense of Ezri Konsa, who was named on the bench with former Arsenal defender Callum Chambers. Steven Gerrard will be keen to add a fourth senior central defender to his ranks, with Kourtney Hause set to leave the Villans.
So, with than in mind, here are five options Gerrard could consider.
Eric Bailly
The Ivory Coast international has been unfortunate with his lack of game time at Manchester United given the club's horrendous defensive issues. The Red Devils have struggled at the back so far this season, shipping six goals in their opening two matches but Bailly looks to be nowhere near their starting side, with Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof ahead in the pecking order.
United are willing to sell the 28-year-old, who has made 133 senior appearances since joining from Villarreal in 2016. West Ham United and Monaco are among those interested in the player, but Villa could swoop in as he would be a relatively cheap option with proven Premier League experience under his belt.
Caglar Soyuncu
Another Premier League defender, Soyuncu has fallen out of favour at Leicester City with the Turkey international set to run down his contract with the Foxes. He is into his final year but could be available this summer, with Soyuncu currently fourth-choice behind the likes of Jonny Evans and Chelsea target Wesley Fofana.
However, Soyuncu was one of the best centre-backs during the 2019/20 campaign and in the following season, playing a major part as Leicester finished inside the top-five twice. There is no doubt the former Freiburg man is still a top defender and could be a steal if Villa can pick him up for a cheap price.
Nico Elvedi
Villa could also dip into the Bundesliga and look no further than Borussia Monchengladbach's Nico Elvedi. The Switzerland international is a similar profile to Carlos - tough-tackling but also very comfortable on the ball. Elvedi is also comfortable playing at right-back, which could be handy cover for Matty Cash.
He is valued at around £16million, which might be more than what Villa are willing to spend after forking out almost double that on Carlos. Elvedi has two years left on his current deal in Germany but could be open to a move if Gerrard can guarantee regular game time. The centre-back scored in Monchengladbach's 3-1 win over Hoffenheim on the opening day last weekend.
Aissa Mandi
An experienced campaigner, Mandi has clocked up over 350 appearances in France and Spain over the course of his professional career and has featured in some of the biggest matches. He was part of the Villarreal side that were beaten by Liverpool over two legs in the Champions League semi-final last season and knows what it takes to win at the highest level.
Although Mandi is just 6"0, he could provide some much-needed calmness at the back for Villa, who have often been criticised for their rash defending, with Tyrone Mings among those highlighted. The 30-year-old only joined Villarreal from Real Betis last summer, but could be lured into a move to the Premier League with Villa desperately looking for an extra centre-back.
Nat Phillips
Gerrard could also dip into his former club Liverpool for another centre-back, with Jurgen Klopp ready to let Phillips leave the Reds. Although Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate are both out injured at the moment, Phillips wants regular first-team football and a move to Villa Park could be the best solution for all parties.
The 25-year-old spent last season on loan at Bournemouth and helped the Cherries earn promotion back to the Premier League. Liverpool reportedly only want £10million for the defender, which could be a bargain for potential suitors, and especially Villa at this stage of the transfer window.
