OPINION
Aston Villa are currently short of genuine options in defence and should consider going all out to sign Reading centre-back Liam Moore in January.
The Daily Record claims that Scottish giants Celtic are lining up a move for the 24-year-old, who is valued at £5million.
It is understood that Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is keen to add the English defender in the next transfer window, but Villa must hijack their interest with their own move.
Steve Bruce needs to bring in an extra body to his backline and that could be the difference between promotion or not in the competitive nature of the Championship.
The Midlands giants should go all out to sign Moore, who would be a bargain price if they could snap him up for anywhere near £5million.
Moore is a proven performer in the Championship and is currently a star man at Reading, while he also played a key role in Leicester’s promotion to the Premier League back in the 2013/14 season.
He is a no-nonsense defender that is exceptional in the air and has the qualities to play in the top flight after developing immensely under Reading boss Jaap Stam.
Villa are currently facing a mini-crisis in defence and the lack of options could really impact them in the coming weeks.
They are currently sixth-placed in the league table, but are going to have to cope without captain John Terry until at least the New Year after his foot injury.
That leaves James Chester as the best option at centre-back, but beyond him their options are very scarce.
Make-shift defender Mile Jedinak could be used by Bruce, while there are certainly question marks over the quality of Chris Samba and forgotten man Tommy Elphick.
The addition of Reading ace Moore would give Bruce much better options and a potential back three with Chester and Terry is an exciting prospect, while the fact that he has played every minute in the Championship this season proves his reliability.
Moore looks destined for the top flight given his improvement and his versatility to also play at right-back adds even further reason as to why he would be the ideal signing in January.
If Villa continue to be defensively resilient it will be the perfect platform to get back in the Premier League and adding arguably one of the Championships’s best defenders could catapult them to promotion.