Former Aston Villa defender and now Football Insider pundit Alan Hutton has been giving his thoughts on the club's reported interest in Manchester United's Axel Tuanzebe.
The Lowdown: Tuanzebe a top target
Villa look set to spend big again this summer, and according to Football Insider, they are in the market for a new centre-back.
Tuanzebe appears to be a player of interest for sporting director Johan Lange, with reports claiming the 23-year-old is a top target. A fee of just £7m could be enough to bring him to Villa Park on a permanent basis, with the defender making 35 appearances on loan in the Midlands.
He has only made 34 appearances for Manchester United, with his latest coming in the 2-1 defeat to Leicester City last week.
The Latest: Hutton reacts
Speaking to Football Insider on the transfer update, Hutton seemed to be all for a deal for Tuanzebe, believing that the defender 'has the attributes to be a top, top defender'. The Scotland international said:
“I think it’s an absolute steal. £7million for a young, English, talented football player that has got so much to give.
“We’ve obviously seen glimpses of him at Villa – well, not a glimpse but you know what I mean. We can see what he can do and I think he’s only going to get better.
“Obviously, coming to Villa, he’s got a fight on his hands, whether it be with Konsa or Matty Cash. I think it’s one that he will stand up to and he’ll want to fight to get in that team.
“If he does, he’s only going to get better, which means his value is only going to go up. This is the type of player I think Villa are going to target. Someone that’s going to come in hungry and willing to get better.
“You never know where he could end up in the future. I think he’s got all the attributes to be a top, top defender.”
The Verdict: Tuanzebe deal should be a no-brainer
In our opinion, for just £7m, Villa should be looking to make Tuanzebe their first summer arrival.
He helped Villa to promotion under Dean Smith in 2019 and will know what it takes to play at Villa Park. He may not immediately come in for Tyrone Mings or Ezri Konsa, but having that competition could be crucial for Smith’s side to progress even further.
Tuanzebe has also played as a full-back and a defensive midfielder during his career, so he could also fill in if needed in those positions.
His Transfermarkt valuation stands at just over £7m, and at just 23 years of age, it could turn out to be an inspired piece of business down the line if he is brought back to Villa Park.
In other news: Villa looking at African defender also wanted by Newcastle, find out more here.