Why Aston Villa must make a move for Lee Wallace in January
Aston Villa have endured a tough start to the new Championship season, with the club currently sitting 15th in the table after 12 games.
Villa’s poor run of form has resulted in Steve Bruce’s departure and Kevin MacDonald is serving as the caretaker manager for the time being. Things should have gotten better following last season’s run till the promotion play-off final but the situation has only worsened at Villa Park.
The club are in dire need of some fresh faces in the squad – players who could come in and make an impact. With that in mind, Villa could do a world of good with a couple of additions in the January transfer window.
And once the window reopens, Villa should prioritize signing a new left-back. That being said, the Midlands outfit must make a move for Rangers star Lee Wallace.
Villa have Neil Taylor as the recognized option at left-back, while the likes of Axel Tuanzebe, Ahmed Elmohamady and Allan Hutton remain as alternatives. Tuanzebe can do the job at left-back but he has mostly played in central defence for Villa this term whereas Elmohamady and Hutton have been deployed on the right.
Hence, Lee Wallace could be a top signing for the Villans. Wallace, 31, has been spending most of his time on the fringes at Ibrox despite being the central figure at the club for a number of years now. He fell out with former Rangers manager Graeme Murty, following last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat at Hampden Park.
And while current Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has cited that Wallace does have a future at the club, the 31-year-old defender continues to be a peripheral figure — which arguably begs the question as to whether or not Wallace has a future at Ibrox.
Wallace could, of course, feature more often in the domestic games but his contract expires next summer. Thus, cashing in on the 31-year-old could be a wise move for Gerrard. And if Rangers are willing to sell the out-of-favour Wallace in January, Villa must sign him.
Villa are in dire need of leaders and Wallace would be the perfect player in that respect. Not only will he add depth and quality to the squad but also bring leadership qualities that should help Villa.
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Wallace’s lack of game time indicates that he will play nothing more than a peripheral role in the coming months. Hence, it would be wise for the 31-year-old to leave Rangers in January. And if that happens, Villa must bag his signature either by hook or by crook.