Aston Villa are hoping to sign Steven Nzonzi on loan before the end of the January transfer window, as reported by The Mirror.

The midfielder, who is on the books of AS Roma, has been suspended by Galatasaray after a row during training, which has alerted Villa to the possibility of bringing him in on loan.

With the 31-year-old open to a Premier League return, and Villa able to bring multiple loanees in from overseas, there is a possibility that the move could materialise.

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This could prove to be an important acquisition for Dean Smith's side, adding defensive solidity to a team that had already conceded 43 times in the league this campaign before the weekend's fixtures - only Norwich City had conceded more.

Looking at Villa's most predominant holding midfielders, they have not exactly been the embodiment of safety in recent times.

Douglas Luiz gave the ball away against Leicester City, which started the move that saw Kelechi Iheanacho score the Foxes' equaliser in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

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Marvelous Nakamba has not been without fault either, putting an opportunity on a plate for the prolific Danny Ings during the defeat against Southampton.

Considering Villa are in the relegation zone, despite having outscored anyone who is 11th or lower, they could use some defensive reinforcements - in addition to their need for another striker - and Nzonzi's statistics in the Champions League show he could be of use.

In the Turkish Super Lig, some may argue that Nzonzi wouldn't be coming up against high-level opposition, making it easier to defend.

However, these stats come from matches against Paris Saint Germain, Real Madrid and Club Brugge.

The Frenchman may have given away 1.6 fouls per game, but making a combined five contributions across the other four categories in the infographic shows how he can impact the opposition's play.

This indicates that he could definitely be a useful presence in the middle of the pitch for Villa, as they hope to maintain their Premier League status past the current campaign.

Meanwhile, Alan Hutton has suggested that one Villa man has played his last game for the club.