Aston Villa manager Roberto Di Matteo has confirmed the club are in negotiations with West Brom over the transfer of Wales defender James Chester.
Villa are rebuilding following their relegation from the Premier League but have lost their opening two games this season.
Di Matteo is keen to bolster the defensive options, with Ciaran Clark having joined Newcastle for £5million and Joleon Lescott unlikely to have a future under the Italian.
Chester, meanwhile, has struggled for first-team opportunities at The Hawthorns since joining from Hull for £8million last summer, often played out of position and would again be behind Jonas Olsson, Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley.
The 27-year-old, though, now looks set to kick-start his career at Villa Park.
A post on the official Aston Villa Twitter feed from Friday morning's press conference read: " RDM confirms #AVFC in negotiations for the transfer of #WBA defender James Chester. "We hope he comes here."
Chester impressed during Wales' march to the Euro 2016 semi-finals in the summer and made the most challenges and interceptions of any players in the tournament with 36.
Villa host Rotherham in their first Sky Bet Championship home game of the season on Saturday having lost 1-0 to Sheffield Wednesday in the opener last weekend.
The Midlands club have already spent £12million on Ross McCormack in a bid to earn promotion at the first attempt - but the striker was withdrawn in the second half of Wednesday's 3-1 EFL Cup defeat at Luton and is yet to score.
Crystal Palace midfielder Mile Jedinak is also on Di Matteo's radar.
The Villa boss maintains he has seen signs of a positive change in approach from the squad, which cannot come quickly enough.
"Personally I have never experienced it, as a player or a manager. There is defeintely a mindset which needs to be changed here, and we are doing better," he said at a press conference, published on www.skysports.com.
"I can see the signs of improvement, but the best recipe is to get a positive result...the sooner the win comes, the better it is for the players' confidence and the whole environment."
Source: PA
