According to Birmingham Live, Aston Villa hope to agree a deal with Chelsea for Ethan Ampadu. The Welsh international, who’s already received four caps at the age of 18, was the subject of interest from Derby County over the summer, but Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri was unwilling to let Ampadu leave.
That could all change in January, however, as the centre-back hasn’t played a first-team game this season and could benefit from competitive football outside of the reserves. Villa are in the market for a new centre-back, with manager Dean Smith contemplating a number of options to improve the club’s strength in depth.