Aston Villa are now plotting a bid for Burnley centre back Ben Mee as Steven Gerrard looks to improve his backline ahead of next season.
What’s the word?
That’s according to The Mirror [via Read Aston Villa], who reported that West Ham and Everton are also in the hunt to sign the Clarets defender this summer.
The 32-year-old is out of contract at the end of the month and will be available on a free transfer as he looks set to leave Burnley following an 11-year spell at the club.
Gerrard can add to his squad
The Villa manager has already made a head-start on his Premier League rivals in the transfer market and it hasn’t even officially opened yet, having signed no fewer than four players for the Midlands club in the last month.
Among them is a defender, Diego Carlos, who will add a greater presence at the heart of the Villa backline, but Gerrard doesn’t want to stop there considering the reports emerging about Mee.
The £73k-p/w Burnley centre-back, whose former boss Sean Dyche once called “very strong”, would be a solid and reliable signing for the 42-year-old as he aims to build a new-look defence.
His ability in the air and talent for reading the game well could see another one of the Villa backline potentially leave, as the manager clearly wants to bring in his own signings to challenge for places.
Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa were both underwhelming during the 2021/22 season. With WhoScored ratings of 6.74 and 6.43 respectively, placing them 10th and 17th in Gerrard's squad, they hardly set the world alight as Villa conceded 54 goals in the Premier League.
Although he maybe not as exotic as new signing Carlos, Mee could prove to be a cost-effective short-term solution to a longer-term problem at Villa Park.
If a move does materialise for the 32-year-old, Gerrard will surely have to axe either Mings (who has been targeted by Newcastle) or Konsa in order to continue the restructuring of his side.
Villa needs a strong start next season, or else the project that Gerrard has got going in the Midlands might go up in a puff of smoke. The same could be said for Mings' Villa career if Mee does come in and prove to be a success.