Aston Villa have been fairly leaky in defence this season, and have not been able to stop regular goals going in against them. As per Sofascore, the Villans have conceded 32 goals this term in the top flight, better than only six teams in the entire division. It has certainly been a problem for Unai Emery’s side.
Yet, it is very surprising given they have a plethora of experience in defence. England internationals Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings are two options, although the latter has only come back from injury recently. The likes of Pau Torres and Diego Carlos are other options at Emery’s disposal.
It might not be a surprise that the Villans are eyeing up a new centre-back recruit this winter.
Aston Villa targeting new defender
The player in question here is 18-year-old Turkish centre-back Yasin Ozcan. The Kasimpasa number 58 has been really impressive since breaking into the first team and has now been linked with a move away from the club.
According to a report from The Athletic, the Villans are now believed to be ‘on the cusp of signing’ the 18-year-old defender, who is set to have his medical on Tuesday afternoon before making the deal official.
However, he will likely not play at Villa Park this season. The report suggests that Ozcan will return to Kasimpasa on loan for the rest of the season.
In terms of a price for the youngster, he will reportedly cost £5.8m up front, with a further £841k in add-ons, and will sign a contract until 2030.
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Why Ozcan would be a good signing
Despite his inexperience, it has been a really important season in the development of Ozcan in 2024/25. At just 18 years of age, he has made 18 appearances in the Turkish top flight, starting all but one of Kasimpasa’s games this term. The one he did not start was their most recent game, a 5-0 loss to Gotzepe.
He is certainly a well-rated young player, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig describing him as a “highly talented” defender. Part of the reason for such high praise might partly be to do with his versatility. The 18-year-old is able to play both centre-back and left centre-back, making him an excellent option for Emery this term.
Indeed, he could be an excellent long-term replacement for Villans defender Carlos. The Brazilian is linked with a move away from the club, with Fenerbahce lodging a bid that was rejected by Villa, as per The Athletic.
The 31-year-old brings experience to the Villans’ defence but has not been a first choice under Emery this term. He has played 17 times across all competitions, with just ten of those games coming in the Premier League.
When looking at the statistical battle between the pair, it is easy to see why Ozcan could be a good long-term replacement and upgrade on Carlos when looking at the stats on Sofascore. The youngster trumps the Villa star in several key defensive metrics.
For example, when looking at Carlos’ duel stats from the Premier League on Sofascore, he wins an average of 1.1 ground duels and 1.1 aerial duels per game. Comparatively, Ozcan averages 2.2 ground duels won and 2.1 aerial duels won.
Stat (per 90)
Ozcan
Carlos
Interceptions
2.1
0.5
Tackles won
1.3
0.8
Ball recoveries
3.7
3.6
Clearances
3.6
3.5
Duels won
4.2
2.2
Duel win %
51%
47%
As the stats suggest, the young Turkish star would certainly be an upgrade on Villa’s ageing Brazilian defender. The fee for Carlos is not reported, but it would only have to be around £6m in order for the club to reinvest that money straight back into the signing of Ozcan.
Bringing in a talented, left-footed defender at the age of just 18 for such a cheap price seems to be a brilliant piece of business by the Villans, ahead of 2025/26 and future seasons.
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