Approach made: Aston Villa in contact over signing €45m Liverpool transfer target Joel Ordonez | OneFootball

Aston Villa have reportedly made contact over a potential transfer move for Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez as they look to replace Ezri Konsa.

Villa recently sold Konsa to Arsenal, leaving a significant gap to fill in defence, with Ordonez now seemingly one of their priorities.

Some contacts have taken place over this possible deal, according to the Athletic, with Villa also having a bid rejected for Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Ordonez could be another good option, however, and the talented young Ecuador international has also had interest from other Premier League clubs in recent times.

Joel Ordonez has long been eyed by Premier League clubs

Ordonez is also someone Liverpool have had on their radar, as we previously reported, but it now looks like Villa have moved to the front of the queue for his signature.

If he does end up moving, we’ve previously been informed by well-placed sources that Club Brugge would look for around €45m to let the 22-year-old go.

Villa should have a decent amount to spend after cashing in on Konsa, while they’ve also sold big names like Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans this summer.

Ordonez looks just about affordable for AVFC, though it’s fair to say that the Midlands club have had some financial issues in recent times, which has often led to a lot of sales and some limits on spending.

Do Liverpool still need Joel Ordonez?

Liverpool’s interest in Ordonez may have cooled, but the truth is that they still look like they could do with someone like him in defence.

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Ibrahima Konate left Anfield on a free at the end of his contract this summer, while Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger.

Ordonez is just the kind of top young centre-back who could be an ideal long-term addition, so some Reds fans will no doubt hope they could still compete for his signature, even if Villa seem to be ahead in the running for now.