Aston Villa have targeted Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez as the man they want to replace Ezri Konsa this summer.
Konsa joined Arsenal on Friday in a deal worth £55 million, which leaves Villa looking a little light at the back.
Villa's recruitment team have not rested on their laurels, though, and The Athletic's David Ornstein has reported that the Midlands club have now made an official approach for Ordonez, just days after agreeing to sign Leon Goretzka.
Manager Unai Emery is busy preparing his team for their Premier League opener against Brighton on Sunday, but he will hope a deal is done in time for the club's first home game of the season against Arsenal on Monday 31st August.
Villa wasting no time
After finishing fourth last season in the Premier League, Villa fans had hoped for another stellar campaign under Emery. The Villans won the Europa League in May and the signs were positive heading into the summer.
Due to financial constraints, Villa have had to become a selling club in recent years and Konsa was the latest high-profile exit through the doors of Villa Park.
Emery had already lost Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne and Donyell Malen, while the club also cashed in on Enzo Barrenechea.
The arrivals of Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes, Zion Suzuki, Matteo Ruggeri, Modou Cissa, Alejandro Garnacho and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have cushioned the blow, but Ordonez would fill the void left by Konsa's departure.
Villa still have Pau Torres, Victor Lindelof and Tyrone Mings in their ranks as natural centre-backs, but the club are clearly eager to bring in defensive reinforcements.
Ordonez has reportedly been on the Villans' wish list for some time, but the club were waiting for the Konsa deal to go through so that they could prove they had the finances to do the deal.
Villa have now made an official approach for Ecuador international Ordonez, which may mean they end their pursuit of Southampton's Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
The Saints centre-back was left out of their opening Championship fixture against Stoke City after the second-tier outfit rejected a bid from Villa, believed to be in the region of more than £18million.
Southampton want around £25million for the 24-year-old, but with discussions ongoing between the two clubs, Villa have since moved on to Ordonez.
The Athletic suggest a deal for the Club Brugge ace would cost more than a deal for Harwood-Bellis.
Ordonez's profile perfect for Villa's project
Villa are struggling to compete financially with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United.
Their recent sales prove they are playing second fiddle to some of England's biggest clubs, but in signing Ordonez, they could be giving themselves another chance to kick on.
Ordonez is still relatively young and at 22, he will take time to adapt to the Premier League.
He started his career with Deportivo Azogues in Ecuador, before joining Independiente del Valle. After only eight appearances for the top-flight Ecuadorian club, he was spotted by Brugge scouts.
He joined the Belgian club for €4 million in August 2022 and was immediately placed in their Club NXT squad, which is their reserve side in the Challenger Pro League.
Ordonez played 32 games for the youth team before making the step up and he has since made 128 appearances in all competitions for the club.
Villa Park switch the perfect move for Ordonez
While he has no Premier League experience, Ordonez has played in the UEFA Champions League on 22 occasions and he will view a move to Villa Park as the perfect next step in his career.
Ordonez has played for Ecuador on 20 occasions and he was named in their 26-man squad for the World Cup in the summer.
He made three appearances as Ecuador reached the Round of 32, and a move to the Premier League will only aid his development, especially under a coach as renowned as Emery.
The likes of Christos Tzolis, Aleksandar Stankovic, Raphael Onyedika and Zaid Romero have all left Brugge this summer to join clubs in England, Italy, Germany and Spain and Ordonez's potential move to England will give him every chance of proving himself on the biggest stage.
