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This Brentford star is a necessity for Aston Villa and Smith must surely get him in January

Why Aston Villa signing Yoann Barbet would be a good move

According to a report in Express and Star, Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has confirmed that he will be targeting defensive reinforcements in the January transfer window. This has come after his team blew up a two-goal lead against Leeds United in the Championship recently. That match really showed why Villa desperately need a centre-back to boost their chances of promotion.

Tommy Elphick has been loaned out to Hull City and it seems unlikely that he will return mid-way through the season. Brentford’s Yoann Barbet is considered as a target for the Birmingham-based club when the window reopens in a few days time. (Express & Star)

Here’s why Villa should do everything to sign the Bees defender and strengthen their team massively:

Dean Smith

Yoann Barbet’s quality at the back is needed for Villa

Before talking about Barbet and what could he bring to this Villa team, let us analyse the defensive options Dean Smith has at his disposal. After Elphick’s departure, they were down to James Chester and Axel Tuanzebe in central defence. The latter is a loanee from Manchester United and so he never would be a long-term solution.

To add salt to wound, Tuanzebe is now injured and has returned to United for treatment. This leaves the manager with no choice but to draft in James Bree to play alongside Chester in central defence. It is fair to say that the pair hasn’t looked comfortable together and the team is shipping in goals.

Hence, a player of Barbet’s quality and pedigree would help this team two-fold. The Frenchman has had a decent season with Brentford. He has won aerial duels at a rate of 2.2, enlightening his strength to win aerial challenges and be a real threat from set-pieces.

Image result for yoann barbet
Yoann Barbet

The 25-year-old has made tackles and interceptions at an average of 2.1 and 1.2 per game respectively. All in all, he is a proper centre-back with Championship experience and the know-how of working with Dean Smith when the latter was at Brentford. Thus, the settling in part in terms of tactics won’t take much time.

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If we look at this move from the outside, it looks perfect for both parties, especially for Aston Villa. Hence, they need to press the button and sign the player and enhance their chances of getting into the playoff positions come the end of this season.

Stats Courtesy – Whoscored.com