Aston Villa should hijack West Brom’s Mings loan swoop to ease defensive worries

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Bournemouth are considering allowing defender Tyrone Mings to leave the club on loan this month, according to the Sun.

They report that Eddie Howe may view Mings as surplus to requirements if he is able to bring Brentford’s promising centre half Chris Mepham to the Vitality Stadium this month.

That has apparently raised West Brom’s hopes of engineering a January loan swoop as they seek to reinforce their backline ahead of a push for the automatic Championship promotion spots.

Darren Moore’s side have leaked goals throughout the season but their Midlands rivals Aston Villa are another club who need strengthening at the back.

Steve Bruce left Dean Smith with threadbare defensive options and the Villans need to improve their options at both centre half and left back.

Mings can play in both positions, offering speed, aerial ability and power; he just needs a run of games to rebuild his fitness after struggling with injury throughout his time on the South Coast.

Villa have lost ground in the race for the play-offs – in no small part due to their unreliable defence – but have just five points to make up to get to sixth.

Getting Mings through the door ahead of title-chasing West Brom would be a major coup and a massive step towards solving Smith’s defensive worries.