Aston Villa have enquired about the possibility of a January loan deal for Leicester City defender Christian Fuchs, according to the Mirror.
The newspaper report that Dean Smith is seeking reinforcements at left-back and has pinpointed the veteran flyer as a player who could aid their quest for promotion.
The Mirror claim that Villa would however have to pay the entirety of Fuchs’ £60,000-a-week contract during the loan, with his contract set to expire in the summer.
It is said that Fuchs could be tempted by a move away from the King Power having been out of the first-team picture this season, but any deal must be financially viable for him.
Good move for Villa?
Absolutely.
Fuchs is a highly-experienced defender who was a regular fixture in the Leicester side which shocked the footballing world to win the Premier League title in 2015/16.
The 32-year-old would offer them a brilliant option on the left with his dangerous delivery and set-pieces giving them an extra dimension in attack as well.
With Smith having only Neil Taylor as a senior left-back, that is an area of the squad which needs serious attention, and Fuchs would be an ideal signing.
This is Futbol rating: 9/10
Likely to happen?
While Fuchs may be interested in a move, any deal hinges on Villa’s ability to pay his £60,000-a-week wages in full.
Considering the club’s troubles with Financial Fair Play in recent years, that may pose a problem for them as they look to avert the possibility of a transfer ban.
Obviously there would likely be no up-front fee involved, but paying such a high wage for six months or so is still an outlay of almost £1.5million for the club.
This is Futbol rating: 4/10