What Aston Villa can expect from Diego Carlos

Aston Villa have signed Diego Carlos on a five-year deal from Sevilla, paying £26m for the 29-year-old. Carlos nearly left to join Newcastle United in January but was denied a move as Sevilla couldn’t locate a replacement mid-season. The Magpies offered more money for Carlos than Villa too, so this could be a shrewd signing by Steven Gerrard.

Carlos joined Sevilla on a five-year deal from FC Nantes in 2019 and has gone on to make 136 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals with one assist. The Brazilian international has been a regular at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium, missing only 12 Liga games in three years, so there shouldn’t be any fitness issues.

This season, Carlos made 34 Liga appearances, won 80/124 aerial duels, blocked 33 shots, made 119 clearances, had 24 interceptions, made 35 tackles and was dribbled past only eight times. He’s helped Sevilla keep 14 clean sheets, so he looks a good option in Ezri Konsa’s stead while the 24-year-old is sidelined with injury.

Gerrard has Konsa, Carlos, Tyrone Mings, Calum Chambers and Kortney Hause in defence, however, so he might need to get rid of one player.

In other news, Noel Whelan tips Steven Gerrard to replace Ezri Konsa