According to Daily Mail, as cited by Birmingham Live, Aston Villa have set their sights on Southampton’s Jack Stephens as they continue their spending spree this summer. The defender could be on the verge of a move away from St. Mary’s Stadium as Ralph Hasenhuttl looks to undergo a squad overhaul, having already roped in Che Adams, Moussa Djenepo and Danny Ings.
And this will open the door for Aston Villa, who will be keen to strengthen their defensive department ahead of the return to the Premier League in the upcoming season.
Stephens’ career at Southampton
Stephens initially joined the Southampton youth side way back in 2011 and was eventually promoted to the senior team in 2013. But, it wasn’t until the 2016/17 campaign that the centre-back started to receive enough recognition in the Southampton first-team, notably making 17 league appearances during that corresponding campaign.
He has since been a bit-part player at the club and last season was no different. The 25-year-old made 24 appearances, totalling 1,695 minutes of league football. And over 1,000 of those minutes came under the tutelage of Hasenhuttl.
But, the Austrian has always been a perfectionist and will be keen to sign a new centre-back to beef up his defensive options next season. And this could take a massive toll on Stephens’ overall game-time, meaning a move away from the club could make sense.
Where does Stephens fit in at Aston Villa?
Aston Villa could be an excellent suitor for Stephens as the Premier League newcomers are a bit short-handed in the defensive department at the moment, following the departures of Axel Tuanzebe and Tyrone Mings (although to be fair Mings could be back at Villa again). The 25-year-old, in that regard, could fill in the hole left by Tuanzebe, in particular, and will have the opportunity to get proper game-time.
He could partner James Chester at the heart of Aston Villa’s four-man backline, and his experience of English football should help him thrive at Villa Park, as the Villans look to impress upon their return to the top flight.
Furthermore, the Southampton star has the defensive doggedness that could be ideal for a club like Villa, who are expected to operate with a deep defensive block. But, a lot will depend on how much the Saints actually demand in exchange for the services of Stephens as Dean Smith’s men obvious can’t afford to pay anything excessive for a defender this summer.
