According to the Birmingham Mail, Aston Villa are set to make club captain James Chester one of their top earners with a new contract offer.

What’s the word?

Villa are desperate to give Chester every incentive to stay with the club as the 29-year-old - who has made over 100 appearances for the Villans since joining in August 2016 - is a vital part of their squad.

The centre-back has proven his quality in the Championship and the Midlands club will be looking to the 32-cap Wales international to lead them to another promotion push this time around.

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Before Chester can sign his new deal with Villa though, certain Premier League clubs should be seeking to tempt him back into the top tier.

If Newcastle could secure Chester’s services for a fair price then he’d be a wonderful addition to their defensive contingent.

The perfect partner for Lascelles 

The defender is currently valued at £7.2 million by Transfermarkt, which puts him well within the Magpies’ financial reach - should Mike Ashley decide to invest in the next transfer window. He would also represent an upgrade on the likes of Federico Fernandez and Ciaran Clark. Chester and Jamaal Lascelles have the potential to form an outstanding centre-back partnership at St James’ Park.

If Newcastle are to secure their Premier League status for the long term then they must constantly invest in and improve their playing squad. Signing Chester in January would be a smart way to improve the standard of their back line for relatively little expense.

What do you think, Newcastle fans - would you like to see your club land Chester in January?