OPINION
Everton have announced that Ashley Williams will be released when his contract expires at the end of June – and that is surely a major boost for Aston Villa.
The Sun reported in April that the Villans are interested in signing Williams, 34, this summer and they are now able to land the Wales international on a free transfer after Everton confirmed via their official Twitter account that he will not have his Goodison Park contract renewed.
? | #EFC confirm Ashley Williams will leave the Club when his contract expires at the end of the month, while Leighton Baines has been offered a new one-year contract.
— Everton (@Everton) June 7, 2019
Although Aston Villa have won promotion to the Premier League since they were reported to be interested in Williams, the defender would no doubt still be an addition that Dean Smith would want to make.
Villa were helped to promotion last term with a small army of loanees.
Kortney Hause, Tyrone Mings and Axel Tuanzebe were three of the centre-backs that Villa had on loan and while a deal for Hause is looking likely, it is no doubt going to be tougher for the Midlands side to snap up Mings and Tuanzebe.
Williams is someone with massive experience in the Premier League and even if he is not a starter for Smith next season, his know-how of the top-flight could rub off on some of the younger players in the Villa squad and he is someone who could add an extra layer of depth, if Mings is bought as well as Hause.
The former West Brom and Swansea defender has 241 Premier League appearances to his name, as well as 85 caps for Wales.
He and James Chester have shared a strong partnership in the Welsh defence so that could be a partnership that Smith looks into at Villa Park next season, should it be needed.
Aston Villa are already reported to be looking at Williams but their job of signing him is now surely a lot easier following Everton’s official statement that he is on the market for a free transfer.