Sky Bet Championship side Aston Villa have made an approach to sign AFC Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings, according to reports from Football Insider.

The 25-year-old has endured a difficult time with the Cherries since his £8million move from Ipswich Town in 2015, making just 10 starts in the Premier League for Eddie Howe's men.

The defender has been limited to just two just league starts thus far this season, after the £12million arrival of Chris Mepham from Brentford on Tuesday afternoon, he is likely to fall even more out of favour at the Vitality Stadium.

Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa are just a handful of teams that have already declared an interest in the towering defender, but reports have now surfaced that Dean Smith's men have made an approach to sign him.

The Villans have struggled defensively this season, conceding a dismal 45 goals in the league campaign. Dean Smith has already addressed his side's defensive frailties with the signing of Kortney Hause on loan from Wolves, and have also been linked with Brentford's Yoann Barbet and Le Havre's Harold Moukoudi.

Villa currently sit 13th in the Sky Bet Championship table, and sit seven points off the play-off places after just one win in their last eight league games.

The Verdict

Mings would be a fantastic signing for Villa.

He can play at either left-back or centre-half, and at 6-foot-5, he'd offer Villa some real presence and strength in defence.

A host of teams in the Championship are after him, so if Villa can win the race for him, it would be a real statement of intent.