Aston Villa centre-back Diego Carlos is still approximately three weeks away from returning to first-team action, according to journalist Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Carlos missing most of the season

The 29-year-old was an exciting signing from Sevilla during last summer's transfer window, with the hope being that would become the mainstay of Villa's defence.

Unfortunately, Carlos managed just two Premier League appearances before rupturing his achilles back in August, and he hasn't returned to action since then.

The Brazilian is working hard in his recovery, though, and it looks as though his comeback will arrive in March.

The Latest: Three weeks away

Writing in a Q&A for The Birmingham Mail, Preece claimed that Carlos could be available in three weeks' time:

"Carlos...I think he's still 3 weeks away from putting himself in contention to start. He'll need some training time and perhaps some behind-closed-doors games, possibly for the U21s."

The Verdict: Big boost for Villa

This is great news for Villa, with Carlos someone with the potential to be an upgrade on the likes of Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, being hailed as 'amazing' and 'big' by Kevin Campbell.

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He averaged 1.5 aerial duel wins per game in his two league appearances so far, while 136 appearances for Sevilla are a further testament to his pedigree.

Granted, Carlos will need time to get back into match practice and rhythm upon his return, meaning he likely won't be at his best until next season, but Unai Emery will be delighted to have him back.