One of the wisest moves made by Steve Bruce in his managerial career was to sign John Terry last summer. The former Chelsea skipper, who had spent over two decades with the Blues, was made to sign on the dotted line of a one-year deal and his impact this season in Aston Villa’s Championship campaign has been quite evident.
The 37-year-old has churned an exemplary camaraderie with James Chester at the heart of the back line of the Villans and the duo has been very resilient at the back more often than not. Terry has been guiding his teammates like a genuine leader on the pitch and intriguingly, there have been reports stating that he is keen to extend his stay at the Villa Park.
Although it is a good sign for Bruce’s side, there is no denying that they must get hold of Terry’s long-term replacement. Besides, a fair bit of competition for a place in the starting line-up would help in elevating the productivity of the players. As per one of the latest reports by Birmingham Mail, Aston Villa are perceived to be interested to sign West Bromwich Albion’s centre-back, Craig Dawson, in the summer.
The Baggies have been in stuttering form throughout the Premier League season and the axe of relegation is certainly hovering over them. Despite the fact that most of the defenders of West Bromwich Albion have been timorous, Dawson has been fairly decent in the ongoing campaign. He might not be an eye-catchy player but he gets his job done neatly with his calibre.
In 21 appearances in the top flight this season, the 27-year-old has notched up 2 goals. Besides, he has also made 1.1 tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 clearances and 0.9 blocks per game on an average. Aston Villa are fighting for promotion to the Premier League and have fared well under the tutelage of Bruce. Irrespective of whether they get promoted or not, Dawson would be a massive signing for them.
The Englishman is a versatile defender as he is capable of plying his trade as a centre-back as well as a left-back. He is good in the air, is generally a cool and composed package on the pitch and reads the attacking endeavours of the opposition exceptionally well. Besides, he has volumes of experience of English football under his belt and would upgrade the quality of Bruce’s arsenal if his move materialises in the summer.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored
