Aston Villa ‘agree loan deal for Southampton’s Jan Bednarek as the defender snubs West Ham’

Aston Villa have reportedly beaten West Ham to the signing of Southampton defender Jan Bednarek on a season-long loan. 

Steven Gerrard has been keen to add to his centre-back options after new arrival Diego Carlos ruptured his achilles tendon in only his second game for the club against Everton.

Villa have lost four and won only one of their first five Premier League matches of the season and are yet to keep a clean sheet. 

According to The Athletic, Bednarek is heading to Villa Park for a medical after snubbing a move to David Moyes’ Hammers. 

The east London side were keen on bringing in the 26-year-old as they are set to lose Craig Dawson to Wolves.

Bednarek has been at Southampton since 2017 and started the Saints’ first two league games of the season, but he has been an unused substitute in the last three.

He has 42 caps for Poland and will want to be playing regular football in the build up to the World Cup in the winter. 

Villa got the majority of their transfer business done early in the window, adding Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos, Robin Olsen, Boubacar Kamara and Ludwig Augustinsson before mid-July. 

But a concerning start to the season has caused Gerrard to dip into the market as he fights to save his job. Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Calum Chambers are the only fit centre-backs in the squad. 

Southampton have already seen one defender depart on deadline day, with Jack Stephens joining Bournemouth on loan. 

The Saints are pushing to sign Marseille centre-back Duje Caleta-Car, who is also a Villa target.