"Signs so far suggest..." - Journalist drops intriguing claim as Aston Villa eye another signing

Aston Villa could still sign Rangers centre-back Calvin Bassey despite already adding Diego Carlos to their squad, believes Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Midlands club spent £26m to bring Carlos to Villa Park, but Taylor has suggested that Steven Gerrard may not stop there amid links to Bassey.

According to Sky Sports, a number of Premier League clubs have made enquiries about Bassey, including Villa.

The 22-year-old is obviously a player Gerrard is familiar with, having managed him during his time as Rangers manager.

If the Villa boss wants a reunion, though, it is thought that he will have to pay in excess of £25m, which would be a record in the Scottish Premiership. A move would see Bassey link up with Carlos, who joined Villa on a four-year deal.

Upon his arrival, the Brazilian told Villa’s official club website: “I am really happy because the Premier League is one of the best competitions. I always want to do the best for the club and the shirt I’m wearing. Even now I can’t believe I’m here because it’s a dream to compete in the Premier League.”

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Villa have now strengthened their central defence with the addition of Carlos, but Taylor does not think that rules out a move for Bassey.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Daily Express journalist said: “We’ll see how much Villa have to spend. The signs so far suggest they’re just going to keep spending, so I couldn’t see why both of them couldn’t happen.”

With Carlos, Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Kortney Hause all at the club, you can argue signing Bassey would be overkill.

However, the fact that the Nigerian can also play at left-back makes him a really appealing defensive target.