Aston Villa search for some experience

The club were last night continuing to work on a number of targets as they looked to snare the final piece of the jigsaw for their January business.

Villa played four consecutive matches this month without a recognised senior striker following the season-ending knee injury sustained by record signing Wesley.

And though Dean Smith’s attacking options have been bolstered by the signing of Mbwana Samatta and Keinan Davis’s return to fitness, the boss remains eager to add another, preferably experienced, option to his forward line.

The club have pursued a loan deal for Leicester City striker Islam Slimani, while Chelsea duo Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi were targets earlier in the month.

Smith yesterday refused to rule anything out when pressed on any potential business in the window’s final 24 hours.

“I am happy with the two strikers I have got because they are good players, but I would love to have another one,” he said.

“I just feel it gives us that much more strength in depth going all the way to May. How would I rate our chances? I have no idea. January is always tough.

“We are obviously after a centre-forward, but I can reel off a number of clubs who are after a centre-forward as well. We are not the only ones and it looks like a seller’s market at the moment.”

Stoke remain hopeful of signing Villa club captain James Chester on loan.