Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is keen on signing Real Madrid centre-back Nacho Fernández, with the club thought to be ‘very attentive’ to his current situation.

The Lowdown: Nacho on the move?

The 32-year-old has found himself on the periphery of things at Madrid in recent times, failing to earn regular playing time at the heart of their defence.

Nacho has only started once in La Liga so far this season, and with his current contract expiring at the end of this season, a fresh challenge could come his way.

It looks as though Villa could be in the mix to snap up the experienced Spaniard, following a new update.

The Latest: Emery keen on signing

According to reports in Spain [via Sport Witness], Emery has ‘always liked’ Nacho as a player, dating back to his time as Arsenal manager, and Villa are ‘very attentive’ to him.

Madrid are happy for him to leave at the end of the season, given his squad role at the club.

It’s perhaps no surprise the Villa boss is a big fan, as Nacho helped keep his Villarreal side out last season in two 0-0 draws.

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The Verdict: Great option for Villa

Nacho could be a really shrewd signing by Villa, as they look to add options at centre-back, following patchy performances by Tyrone Mings and a serious injury to Diego Carlos.

Granted, the Madrid man’s best days now may be behind him, but he is still young enough to enjoy a few years in the Premier League and his versatility is impressive, actually playing at full-back in both of those stalemates against Emery last season.

He has picked up a winning mentality during his time at Madrid, winning an incredible five Champions League titles, and that could rub off on Villa’s players, acting as another reason to sign him.