The arrival of Dean Smith and John Terry at Villa Park has given the supporters plenty of reason to believe that a return to the Premier League is within their reach, but they will be acutely aware of the need to recruit a handful of players in January to ensure that they are in the mix for a play-off place at the end of the season. 

Back-to-back victories in the Championship in which Villa managed to score five goals to no return would suggest that everything is rosy at the club, but there is clear scope for improvement within the squad.

As a free-flowing attacking unit Smith is blessed with a multitude of talented players to utilise in the final-third, but that overall quality isn't mirrored in the defensive unit.

Smith has trusted Axel Tuanzebe alongside James Chester in central defence since he took charge at the club, but with little by way of backup for the Manchester United loanee it's fair to say that Villa need to recruit an experienced centre-back to boost their promotion credentials.

With that being said, they should be on high alert to a recent report from the Daily Mail which claims Gary Cahil has been given the green light to leave Chelsea on loan in January, with his personal desire for first-team opportunities cited as a key reason for his probable departure.

Naturally, a player of Cahil's experience and quality is bound to draw interest from a handful of clubs, however, Villa have a distinct advantage over rival bidders due to his history with the club and, perhaps more importantly, Terry's influence.

Terry came agonisingly close to clinching promotion with Villa last season, and he will be firmly aware of how pivotal Cahill's arrival could be for their chances of returning to the top-flight this time round.

Having played alongside Cahil at Chelsea, Terry is likely to have established a positive working relationship with the former England international, and if he uses this to his advantage there is no doubt that Villa will be in an incredibly promising position to secure a mid-season masterstroke.

Villa's distinct lack of strength at centre-back and Cahil's potential to stand out at Championship level will effectively guarantee him a regular first-team spot for the entirety of a potential spell, so it's now down to Terry to work his magic and delight both Smith and the supporters by convincing his old partner to join him at Villa Park.

Villa fans - thoughts? Let us know below!