Aston Villa were one of the most active teams in the January 2025 transfer window, but the upgrades in midfield haven’t helped the Villains move up in the Premier League table.
After 20 mtatches, Villa are only 8th in the league, and while their game in hand could push them up as high as sixth, the club have failed to make progress after their surprise Champions League qualification last season.
Already, Aston Villa have brought in Donyell Malen to provide them a key option on the right wing, but they are still in the pursuit of more upgrades across their squad, including at right back.
But the best move for Aston Villa in the winter transfer window will actually be at center back, and it involves a dual move that can bring a legitimately world-class center back to their roster, which is particularly of interest now that Pau Torres has suffered an injury, while selling off a player they have been trying to part ways with for months.
Diego Carlos joined Aston Villa from Sevilla as one of the top center backs in LaLiga, but his declining skill set and poor fit in the Premier League as an overly aggressive central defender doomed him to a fourth-string role.
Aston Villa have the opportunity to sell him this summer, and while there have been rumors of him going back to Sevilla, it looks like the Turkish Super Lig is the most likely landing spot for the Turkish international.
Meanwhile, even though Diego Carlos probably isn’t going back to Sevilla, Aston Villa should still be after the best player at Monchi’s and Unai Emery’s former club, center back Loic Bade.
The Frenchman has been one of LaLiga’s best center backs for three years now and is legitimately one of the most underrated players in the world at any position, having led Sevilla to a Europa League title over Roma in the 2022/23 season.
Alongside LaLiga legend Sergio Ramos, Bade formed one of the best center back partnerships in Europe and is now the main leader at the back for Sevilla here in the 2024/25 season.
With a release clause of 50 million euros and a total asking price that could end up being around half that, Bade could be one of the best signings of the winter window and an easy upgrade for Aston Villa, who could even start for the club after Torres’s injury return.
Aston Villa have no use for Diego Carlos, who belongs in a league like Turkey’s now that he has declined, and they can parlay that money into signing Bade for maybe only 10-20 million euros more.
It’s a no-brainer signing for Aston Villa, and it’s the kind of move that can set the club up for success over the next five years with a world-class center back triumvirate of Loic Bade, Pau Torres, and, of course, England international Ezri Konsa.
