Aston Villa were lining up a bid for Galatasaray centre-back Christian Luyindama, according to a report on Fanatik.
However, the defender suffered a season-ending injury last November during international duty with DR Congo, as reported on BBC Sport, which scuppered the move.
The Turkish news outlet report that Villa were planning a bid in the region of €14m for the defender but decided against it after news of his cruciate ligament injury emerged.
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The 26-year-old is versatile as he can also operate as a defensive midfielder and before the injury, he had appeared in 15 matches in all competitions, including four in the UEFA Champions League (Transfermarkt).
It seems Villa were preparing to strengthen their defensive unit by acquiring the central defender in the January transfer window, which we feel was needed because they have conceded the joint-most amount of goals in the Premier League this term.
We feel that then letting experienced centre-back James Chester leave on a loan deal until the end of the season doesn’t quite add up, because we believe that loaning him out has weakened Dean Smith’s defensive options.
It is terrible luck for Villa, and for the player himself, for him to get injured at such a crucial time, especially when a move to the Premier League seemed to be on the cards.
