Bristol Rovers set to seal Aston Villa transfer | OneFootball

The 21-year-old Dutchman has played just twice for the Villains and is looking for first team minutes with the Gas.

Bristol Rovers appear to have succeeded in their pursuit of defensive recruitment, as they are set to acquire Aston Villa's 21-year-old Dutchman, Sil Swinkels, on loan for the rest of the season, according to the Athletic.

The expected deal would represent the Pirates' third transfer of the window, and second in as many days, as the club secured the temporary services of Wycombe's Matt Butcher yesterday afternoon.

Arriving at the Birmingham club from Vitesse in 2020, 6ft 3" tall Swinkels has made just two appearances for the Villains in the best part of five years.

The move would represent a third loan deal between the two clubs in the last two seasons, after Lino Sousa, who remains at the side, and Swinkels' fellow countryman, Lamare Bogarde.

Bristol Rovers' defensive problems will be aided by Sil Swinkels

It has been no secret that Iñigo Calderón and George Friend have been searching for at least one defensive asset to compliment the incoming midfield duo of Romaine Sawyers and Matt Butcher.

The exigency of this arrival was furthered after two worrying away performances saw them lose 2-0 at the hands of both Wigan and Charlton Athletic.

Swinkels is capable of playing both as a centre-half and as a left-back, a positional profile which could prove ideal in Calderón's struggling side.

Left-back has been an issue for the club of late, high-profile errors in possession from Lino Sousa have cost the side goals, while Clinton Mola most recently found himself hooked off at half-time at the Valley following a 45 minutes that saw him lose nine aerial duels and be dribbled past four times.

However, it is more likely that if Swinkels is to come in, he will be deployed in a central role, if not only to provide restbite to a 35-year-old James Wilson.

Swinkels is unproven, but liked by Unai Emery

The timing of Swinkels' reported departure may come as a surprise to Villa supporters, as they currently face something of a crisis in central defense themselves, with Tyrone Mings, Kourtney Hause and Pau Torres all unavailable.

However, Unai Emery has recently stated that while Swinkels is very much a welcome part of the squad, his lack of first-team minutes makes him unable to break into a team playing so competitively in both the Premier League and Champions League.

"Sil is another option" Emery told Birmingham Mail before their clash with Celtic on Wednesday, "Because he is training with us, but we are thinking of letting him leave on loan. I think he will need more experience to get minutes."

Swinkles was an unused substitute as the Villains secured their place in the Round of 16 of Europe's elite club competition, a role he has endured in six of the club's eight league phase matches.

Conveniently, his one appearance for the first team this campaign came against League One opposition, as the Lions beat high-flying Wycombe 2-1 away from home. While admittedly playing in a much more favourable side, the Dutchman completing five clearances, four recoveries and an 87% pass completion, which could be a good indicator of his ability to perform in England's third-tier.

If this deal comes to fruition, Gasheads will be praying that Sil Swinkels can help sure up a defensive line that has conceded more shots on target than any side in the division.