Aston Villa have a strong starting eleven that can hold their own against most Premier League clubs, but one problem Dean Smith has is a lack of depth, particularly in defensive-midfield.
Douglas Luiz and John McGinn would get into most sides, but Marvelous Nakamba is the only backup Smith can call upon from the bench. He’s been on the periphery for most of the season after a disappointing debut campaign, so Villa should try to upgrade him when the January transfer window opens.
Last season, the 26-year-old was dribbled past 43 times, committed 26 fouls and lost 55.7% of his aerial duels in 29 league games, so he left a lot to be desired. Signing a player that has the energy levels of McGinn and the combative qualities of Luiz will be difficult though, especially in January.
Clubs are often reticent selling players midway through the season, so Villa could struggle to get one of their top targets and may be resigned to an out-of-favour alternative. If they can sanction a loan player that’s an improvement on Nakamba, Smith has a solid option that can be relied upon in case of injury to his first-choice duo.
