Five players Aston Villa could sell to fund Diego Carlos replacement transfer

Aston Villa are reportedly in the market for another centre-back following Diego Carlos' injury.

Having ruptured his Achilles tendon, the Brazilian centre-back will require surgery and is expected to miss the majority of the season. Villa boss Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly see his absence as a huge loss to the side, having snapped up the former Sevilla man for £26 million and named Carlos as one of his vice-captains.

It means that Villa have Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Calum Chambers to choose from, while Kortney Hause is reportedly wanted by Watford. The club have instantly been linked with several names - but having already spent a sizable amount on a centre-back, here’s a look at the players that could be used as part of a potential deal.

Sanson has struggled to nail down a place in the Villa side since his move from Marseille in January 2021, The midfielder arrived in a £13m deal but has made just 21 appearances across all competitions through a mix of injury problems and competition for places.

The 27 year-old has shown glimpses of his quality when given chances in a Villa shirt and produced promising displays during pre-season. However, he appears to be down the pecking order at Villa Park and could be somebody Villa look to utilise in their search for a new defender.

The holding midfielder has become something of a fan-favourite since signing for the club on Villa’s return to the top-flight in 2019. Nakamba played a key role in Gerrard’s first few games as boss before suffering a knee injury in December that saw him sidelined until the final weeks of last season.

While Villa have not made wholesale changes this summer, France international Boubacar Kamara was regarded as a coup from Marseille and