As Dean Smith prepares to rebuild his squad in the summer, reports have recently surfaced that Aston Villa are interested in signing Queens Park Rangers defender Toni Leistner.

The German defender has emerged as a real fans' favourite since his move to Loftus Road in the summer, and was instantly made club captain upon his arrival in West London after signing on a free transfer from Union Berlin.

The 28-year-old has been a regular for Steve McClaren's men this term in what has been a turbulent season for the R's, and reports also claim that Villa, who are set to be rivalled by Cardiff City in pursuit of Leistner's signature, will have to pay £5million for the defender's services.

It is clear that the defence needs strengthening in the summer - Dean Smith's men have conceded more goals than any other top-half Championship side at present, having shipped a staggering 53 goals in 35 games this term.

The Villans have improved in defence since the loan signing of Tyrone Mings, with the central defender bringing real strength, presence and leadership to the back-line.

But with this latest transfer news emerging, should Villa fans be worried about their chances of signing Mings on a permanent deal? If the Villans were to cough up £5million for Leistner, that is quite a sizable fee for a defender, which may suggest that Leistner may be a long-term replacement for the 25-year-old.

If you asked every Villa fan if they would rather have Mings or Leistner, the answer is likely to be a resounding yes, but this emerging transfer news could potentially cause panic among the Villa Park faithful.