Aston Villa will 'definitely' look to sign a new centre-back between now and the end of the summer transfer window, according to transfer window reporter Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Centre-back issue

Steven Gerrard's side have made an unsatisfactory start to their Premier League season, losing two of their opening three games and conceding six goals in that time.

For that reason, centre-back has been an area of concern in 2022/23, with Tyrone Mings left out initially before regaining his place and Diego Carlos then suffering a devastating achilles injury.

With the new man now out for an extended period, Gerrard has just Calum Chambers, Ezri Konsa and Mings to call upon, making a new addition in that area an absolute necessity.

The Latest: Expert makes fresh claim

Speaking to Give Me Sport, The Express journalist Taylor has eased fan fears about the situation, saying Johan Lange and NSWE will 'definitely' need to make a move before September 1:

"I know they’ve got Chambers, who in fairness is not a bad backup, but given the length of Carlos’ injury, I think they will have to look at potential ones and I definitely think they will have to bring someone in."

The Verdict: Get it done

Having a solid defence is always the perfect foundation to build on for any team and there is no doubt that Villa could do with reinforcements there this season.

Doubts remain over how much Gerrard rates Mings, having taken the captaincy away from him, while Konsa's form has also flattered to deceive, with journalist Ashley Preece slamming his performance against Crystal Palace last weekend.

A fourth option to provide stiff competition for Chambers, Mings and Konsa is much-needed, or Gerrard could continue to see his side leaking goals at an alarming rate.