Another day. And another player joins Aston Villa. This time Bjorn Engels has made the switch from Stade Reims to the Midlands outfit [Villa’s official Twitter account].
The Belgian is Villa’s eighth signing of the summer and the fifth defensive player the club have purchased on a permanent basis.
It now means that Dean Smith has a number of options to choose from when it comes to selecting his backline, but who should start at centre-back?
From last season’s loan hero Tyrone Mings to the ever-reliable James Chester, Smith finally has depth and competition at the back.
When it comes to the left-hand side of the defence, there is only player that most fans will want to see and that’s the powerful Mings.
His performances towards the back end of Villa’s promotion campaign were crucial to their success, plus his leadership qualities and calmness on the ball is also vital to the team’s performance.
Then, Smith, has his work cut out because he can choose from the left-footed Hause, the experienced Chester, youngster Ezri Konsa and the recently purchased Engels.
If Chester can prove his fitness – he has not played for the club since the turn of the year because of knee problems – then he would be the one to start alongside Mings.
But if the Welshman continues to struggle with his troublesome knee then the door is open for any one of the new permanent signing to make that centre-back place their own.
