OPINION
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith is no doubt aiming to get his side into the Championship play-offs this season, but he could do with strenghtening his team to improve their chances even further.
It is no secret that Villa want a left-back in this transfer window due to having limited options in the rule, but unfortunately for them, Sky Sports have reported that Leicester have turned down their offer to take Christian Fuchs on loan for the season.
While this is a major blow for Smith, he must start looking elsewhere as soon as possible, especially with the window slamming shut on January 31.
Their search for a new left-back should take them no further than West Ham United’s Arthur Masuaku.
He has been relegated to the bench for a while now due to boss Manuel Pellegrini preferring Aaron Cresswell in the role, which is why Villa must be the ones to rescue the defender from his fast-developing nightmare at the London Stadium.
While the 25-year-old flyer has not entirely won over the Irons support, he certainly has the quality that Villa are looking for so close to the deadline.
He will no doubt be looking to increase his first team opportunities this season – his recent appearances have come in the FA Cup, which they crashed out of on Saturday – so Villa looks like they could be the perfect destination for him.
Neil Taylor clearly is not up to scratch anymore, so a surprise move for Masuaku seems like a no-brainer at the moment.
The West Ham fans will not be bothered in the slightest if Masuaku went on the move – and playing for Aston Villa will help him revive his season.
Masuaku had the chance to convince Pellegrini on Saturday to put him in the first team on a regular basis – but seeing as that did not work out, Aston Villa must get their fans raving by plotting this swoop as soon as possible.