Aston Villa centre-back Diego Carlos could potentially make his long-awaited return from injury against West Ham, according to journalist Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Lengthy absence for Carlos

The Brazilian joined the Villans last summer in an exciting move, coming in from Sevilla and being viewed as a significant defensive addition.

Sadly, Carlos suffered a ruptured achilles back in August, having only made two Premier League appearances, and he hasn't returned to action since then.

As Villa prepare to visit the Hammers on Sunday afternoon, however, a positive update has emerged.

The Latest: Could return this weekend

Taking to Twitter, Preece claimed that Carlos could possibly make a return to the squad for the trip to David Moyes' side this weekend:

"Diego Carlos could return to squad."

The Verdict: Massive boost for Villa

This is great news for Villa, considering what a big signing Carlos felt like at the time, having been described as 'amazing' by former striker Kevin Campbell.

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Granted, it would be foolish to throw the 29-year-old straight back into the team against West Ham, but even seeing him on the substitutes' bench would feel like major progress.

If the £100,000-a-week Carlos can get some good minutes until his belt in the remaining months of the season, and then enjoy a good pre-season, the 2023/24 campaign will hopefully be one that sees the six-cap Brazil international flourish.