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Report: Aston Villa interested in £12m Bristol City centre-back Adam Webster
Aston Villa have turned their attention to a Championship centre-back this summer. , Adam Webster is the latest Aston Villa defender target.
The Bristol City defender has been a standout performer at Ashton Gate since last summer’s move from Ipswich Town. But Lee Johnson’s men face a battle to keep him with growing Premier League interest.
, five Premier League clubs want Webster, who is rated at £12m by the Robins. Burnley, Leicester, Newcastle United, Southampton and Watford all hold an interest in the 24-year-old.
And now Aston Villa have become the sixth top-flight team to enter the race for the former Portsmouth centre-back. After winning promotion to the Premier League, Dean Smith wants more defensive reinforcements.
Under Smith, Aston Villa’s defence improved dramatically. But his main centre-backs were loan trio Kortney Hause, Tyrone Mings and Axel Tuanzebe. Tommy Elphick also played some games but has since joined Huddersfield Town on a free transfer.
Aston Villa have brought Hause back on a permanent deal. But , they are struggling to land their other two loan stars from last season.
Bournemouth are playing hardball over Mings’ asking price and he will be Aston Villa’s top target. Meanwhile, Manchester United want to judge Tuanzebe in pre-season and will not let him go until Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has checked him out.
This means that Webster is now on Aston Villa’s radar for the summer. The former England youth international could be set for his first season in the Premier League.
TBR’s view
Aston Villa need at least two new centre-backs considering Hause and James Chester are on their books. Mings will rightly remain their top target and they need to get this deal over the line at all costs but a Tuanzebe return is only likely in the late summer.
The Villans cannot afford to wait around for Tuanzebe. Webster is a talented alternative and £12m could prove to be a snip in today’s market. He is young, English and a proven defender at Championship level so he should be able to step up next season.