Out of favour Aston Villa defender could help ease injury woes for Michael Carrick and Middlesbrough: View | OneFootball

Michael Carrick’s side snapped up Aston Villa playmaker Finn Azaz, who had been recalled from his loan at Plymouth Argyle, and then brought a player in on a temporary deal of their own, in the form of Leeds United defender Luke Ayling.

Ayling will bring experience to the Middlesbrough defence, but given the injury issues the side has endured, more business still needs to be done.

Out of favour Aston Villa centre-back Kortney Hause is one player that Carrick should target ahead of the second half of the season.

Middlesbrough have done business with Villa already this month in a deal that saw Azaz arrive at the Riverside.

Boro spent £2.5 million on the Irishman and there could be more business done between the pair - in a move that could work for all parties.

Hause’s Villa Park career has not been easy with injuries plaguing him at seemingly every juncture.

He wasn’t included in Aston Villa’s Premier League squad at the end of the summer and hasn't featured in any competitions this term - only recently returning to training after 15 months out injured.

His latest action on the field came in a Watford shirt after a loan spell at Vicarage Road, but he only managed 190 league minutes across three appearances as a Hornet.

Cleary now out of favour at Villa, there have been suggestions that he could be moved on this month.

A loan transfer back to the Championship, where he has impressed in the past with Villa and Wolves, could be exactly what Hause needs as he looks to still make something of his much-fancied potential.

Where he would fit in at the Riverside

As previously mentioned, Boro signed Ayling from Leeds to reinforce their defensive options but it does feel like more is needed in that area.

Darragh Lenihan and Tommy Smith suffered season-ending injuries in late 2023 while Alex Bangura had to be substituted after 20 minutes in the first leg of the EFL semi-final clash with Chelsea.

Dael Fry, Matt Clarke, Paddy McNair, and Rav van den Berg are Carrick's current options, with Ayling slotting in at full-back, but they've not been particularly convincing defensively - boasting the 10th-worst defensive record in the Championship in terms of goals (41 from 28 games) and shipping six in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea on Tuesday night.

Only one team above the Teessiders in the table - an unconvincing Norwich City side - has conceded more league goals this term, which highlights that tightening up at the back could be the difference for them in the race for the play-off places.

Championship games come thick and fast in the second half of the season, which alongside their defensive problems, illustrates why moving for a central defender before the window closes makes a lot of sense.

Hause has done it before in the second tier, playing in promotion teams at Villa and Wolves, and looks to be a player that needs a move away this month.