Aston Villa are reportedly open to offers for Diego Carlos, as the defensive ace is expected to leave us this summer.
The 31-year-old arrived from Sevilla in July 2022, and although his first season with us was derailed by a serious injury, he has since gone on to establish himself as a key figure in the squad.
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Carlos has made 41 appearances in a Villa shirt, and although he has produced some stand-out performances and is a colossal presence at the back at times, he has remained behind Ezri Konsa in the pecking order for that right-sided centre-half role, and has had ongoing issues with injuries.
Coupled with his high wages and age, an exit seems to be a potentially sensible decision for us, and according to The Telegraph, he could be on his way to Fulham with Villa said to be open to offers, while our Premier League rivals have stepped up their interest.
It’s added that West Ham Utd could rival them for the Brazilian’s signature, but time will tell if either club present a formal proposal, and whether or not it’s enough to convince Villa to accept.
Having been a regular presence in the side through the first few games of pre-season, Carlos has been left out of the matchday squad by Emery for our last two outings.
That has followed his red card against RB Leipzig during our time in the USA, and with no clarification on whether or not he’s dealing with an injury, his absence has fuelled speculation over his future, combined with these latest reports.
The Telegraph note that Villa would be in the market for a replacement if Carlos were to leave, and that is an absolute necessity given we’re short of competition and depth at the back already. Lutsharel Geertruida and Joe Gomez are touted as possible options, and either would perhaps make a sensible acquisition given their quality and versatility.
It’s been reported that Lamare Bogarde could be retained this season to provide depth rather than be sent out on loan, but despite the fact that Carlos played a limited part, he was still a vital option, and so Emery must ensure that any reshuffle in the defensive ranks leaves us as a stronger unit compared to the one we started the summer with.
