In a recent report, Birmingham Mail claimed that Aston Villa are keeping a keen eye on Southampton defender Jan Bednarek this month. It has been mentioned that the Villans are eyeing a move for the Polish centre-back.
Bednarek’s Impressive Form At Southampton Last Season
Bednarek had a solid campaign at St. Mary’s Stadium last season when he put in several dominant displays at the centre of Southampton’s backline. The Slupca-born talent made 34 appearances for the Saints in the previous campaign, netting four goals in the process on all fronts.
The 26-year-old gave a good account of himself on the defensive end of the field based on his average of 1.0 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 4.5 clearances per game in the Premier League. He even distributed the ball relatively well as he made 81.7% of his attempted passes in the English top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Bednarek’s current contract with the Saints is set to expire in the summer of 2025, so it won’t be easy for the Villans to snap him up before the end of this ongoing transfer window as Southampton have no reason to let him go on the cheap.
Is Bednarek A Decent Fit For Aston Villa?
Bednarek is a good tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to earn possession back for his team inside his half. He usually clears the danger when needed and is not shy of playing his way out from the back.
Standing at 1.89m, the Polish centre-half can be a commanding presence on the defensive third of the field and loves to use his strong frame to win a few 50-50 duels in the air. Hence, he could be a good fit for Steven Gerrard‘s brand of football at Villa Park. Bednarek knows the Premier League well by now and would be a good, short-term fix to Aston Villa‘s defensive concerns following Diego Carlos’ long-term injury recently.
At 26, the Polish sensation is about to enter the peak stage of his playing career. Hence, the West Midlands club can expect to get the best out of him if they can find a way to get him on board before the end of this month.
Bednarek could also give Gerrard the option to play with three centre-backs at the back. Therefore, the Villans should focus on getting a deal done for him this summer as long as they do not have to break the bank for him.
