[ad_pod ]This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...According to journalist Phil McNulty on Twitter, Aston Villa are having a look at Ahmed Hegazi this summer.

What's the word?

Aston Villa pulled off one of their biggest deals of the summer yet this week by confirming they'd signed Tyrone Mings from Bournemouth.

He'll add to a defensive line that has already been bolstered by the additions of both Kortney Hause and Matt Targett already.

However, before that news was released, it was revealed that they were also considering West Brom's Hegazi.

McNulty confirmed on Twitter that they'd been having a look at the 56-cap international when also watching Trezeguet in action for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Wouldn't fit their philosophy

Villa's signings this summer have all been below the age of 26. Mings has been their eldest signing whilst Targett, Hause and Wesley are all aged 23 and below.

It's clear that the Villans are targeting young players to develop and this was one of the main messages that Christian Purslow laid down in May.

Speaking to the BBC he said: “On the recruitment side in particular, things have not been handled as I think they should be in the way our fans expect, which is for us to be a young exciting team and a team that over time establishes itself back in the Premier League.”

Therefore, signing Hegazi, who is now 28 and doesn't have much room for development, would go against his word.

Although the experience of the centre-back could prove useful, it would seem a particularly questionable signing after going out of their way to release 31-year-old Tommy Elphick.

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Villa made it a priority to get rid of players who were ageing at the end of the season so to bring in someone who could soon surpass their best would fail to make much sense, especially with James Chester, now 30, still on their books.

After all, this is a player who was relegated from the Premier League only two years ago with West Brom.

As a result, Villa would be better off chasing a younger central defender if they have desires of further adding to their backline.