Aston Villa could loosely consider selling Diego Carlos in the January window to maximise his market value, although any exit does seem complicated.
According to Football Insider, Aston Villa might be considering selling Diego Carlos in the January window. The 31-year-old star’s current deal expires in the summer of 2026, which does allow the club to maximise his market value in January, although any exit will depend on multiple factors and does look complicated.
Diego Carlos has not started the new season as Unai Emery’s absolute first-choice defender, as the Spanish coach has used him indifferently. The 31-year-old star was an unused substitute in the first four games of the campaign but has since started all but two since.
The Brazilian does have an important role in Emery’s squad, but Tyrone Mings’ return could slightly alter that feeling. Carlos was linked with an exit in the summer when Fulham were chasing him but stayed back following the Cottagers’ decision to pay big for Joachim Andersen.
In any case, further reports were coming out in the media stating Emery was ready to sell Carlos in January, and that might be a case of the club considering their options with the 31-year-old star. His current deal expires in 2026, meaning this January window might be an opportunity to maximise his market value.
They will also gauge the level of interest as well as how well Mings re-integrates himself back into the main group. There are some doubts about Mings following his long layoff, although, in him or Carlos, Emery will probably look at who can provide a solid solution as a squad option.
Will Aston Villa sell Diego Carlos in January?
The idea is there, and considering Villa is looking at other defenders ahead of January, there’s a possibility of selling Carlos. However, the availability of other targets will be difficult and quite expensive in the winter market, meaning Aston Villa could even consider keeping the Brazilian at least until the summer.
Hence, the messages are mixed when it comes to the 31-year-old star, as Emery cannot risk losing a player he has used well this season in the middle of the campaign. Hypothetically, suppose Villa were to receive a large offer from elsewhere. In that case, they might as well consider selling the Brazilian and then investing in an alternative that would improve their current group.