OPINION
Aston Villa must launch a swoop to sign Crystal Palace defender Jairo Riedewald this month after it was reported that he could be on his way out of Selhurst Park.
The Daily Mail has reported that Middlesbrough and Celta Vigo are interested in signing the three-times Netherlands international, who was signed by Frank de Boer in 2017 and dropped down the pecking order as soon as he was replaced by Roy Hodgson.
It is understood that a January exit from Selhurst would bring an underwhelming end to Riedewald’s spell as a Crystal Palace player, but he could be the perfect addition to Dean Smith’s squad at Aston Villa.
The Villains are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements before the end of the month.
Losing 3-0 to lowly Wigan at the weekend proved that Smith’s current defensive options are miles off the standard that is expected at Villa Park.
Riedewald is a player who has struggled at Palace, but a drop down to the Championship to play for a different manager could revive his career in England, especially when he would be such a key player at Villa Park.
One of the 22-year-old’s best attributes is his versatility.
The former Ajax defender, who Palace paid £8million to sign, can play as a centre-back, left-back and defensive midfielder.
Smith cannot ignore the fact that Neil Taylor is his only natural left-back in his squad, and there is still the need for an extra centre-back to be signed up before February starts.
Riedewald is also still young and he showed enormous potential at Ajax, which is why de Boer snapped him up during his brief time at Selhurst Park.
Villa could potentially strike gold by signing the £55,000-a-week (Spotrac) defender from the Premier League this month.
If Riedewald plays regularly and re-discovers the form he showed at Ajax, he is bound to see his transfer value soar and maybe one day, Villa could be facing a fight to keep hold of him.