According to The Birmingham Mail, new Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has addressed the club's current dearth of centre-backs. 

The former Brentford boss made it clear that The Villans were struggling for players in that position, with only James Chester and 20-year-old Man United loan Axel Tuanzebe the only two recognised centre-backs in the team.

Villa have seen a number of makeshift centre-backs so far this season, with Mile Jedinak and Alan Hutton filling in, but Smith has said that the club are monitoring out of contract James Collins at the moment, who is training with them.

The 35-year-old Welshman would be a great addition to the club in order to alleviate some of the problems that they have been facing. However, while he may be useful for the remainder of the season, the club must look to secure new faces this January.

Not only would Collins be a short term solution, but Tuanzebe will be returning to Man United at the end of the season. They could be left in an even worse position than they are in now unless it is addressed in the new year. Smith has spoken of how the centre-back position is one that they seek to add to this January, and that is for certain, with his career at Villa Park potentially depending on it.

If The Villans fail to recruit at least two players in the heart of defence, Smith's first few months in charge may be very difficult. This could even result in his sacking, as he will be under a huge amount of pressure to reverse the club's current slump in form.