Aston Villa are hopeful of agreeing a deal to sign Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge on loan with an obligation to buy.
The 22-year-old centre-back emerged as the primary target to replace Ezri Konsa after Villa were unwilling to match Southampton's valuation of Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
Ordonez is currently injured but is expected to be fit again in September, and is viewed as a smart long-term investment given his pedigree in Belgium.
He has played against Villa three times before, all in the Champions League in 2024/25, keeping a clean sheet in the 1-0 league phase win at the Jan Breydel Stadium in November of that season.
Villa are keen to secure an agreement with Brugge to buy him next summer for around £25 million after loaning him in this window to help stretch funds to other areas of the squad.
Villa are also in need of attacking reinforcements before the window shuts on Tuesday, September 1.
Ollie Watkins' future is in doubt given strong interest from Al-Hilal, who have already seen four bids rejected for the striker.
Watkins is keen to make the move and was missing from the squad that lost 4-0 to Brighton on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.
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