Clean sheets have been hard to come by for Aston Villa this season and manager Unai Emery has had to contend with a long list of defensive injuries.
Villa have been forced to play Boubacar Kamara in central defence at times this season, with Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres all missing games through injury.
Diego Carlos was sold in January, paving the way for Lamare Bogarde to have an extended run in the team for the first time.
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Last summer seems a long time ago but Villa did quietly sign a central defender.
Yeimar Mosquera, now 20, was acquired from Orsomarso SC in Colombia and was immediately loaned to Real Union, the Basque club owned by Villa boss Emery.
Mosquera has now been recalled by Villa and is expected to join first team training, according to Colombian reporter Pipe Sierra.
“After processing his work permit, Yeimar Mosquera (20) is already in Birmingham and met his teammates,” Sierra posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Villa signed Mosquera as an academy player in August but Sierra reports that he will train with the first team under Emery’s guidance.
With his work permit secured, the young centre-back could be in the frame for a Premier League appearance if he can impress his manager.
Reports in Colombia indicate that Emery is eager to have Mosquera available for the second half of the season after his performances for Colombia’s Under-20 side.
Colombia finished third in the South American Under-20 Championship in Venezuela last month and Mosquera caught the eye of his parent club.
Emery, who is ranked at no. 6 in FourFourTwo's list of the best managers in the world right now, has been able to select the familiar central defensive pairing of Mings and Konsa recently.
With Matty Cash fit and Axel Disasi signed in January, Villa have minimised the need for Konsa to play at right-back.
21-year-old Bogarde has played 476 minutes in his first eight Premier League appearances.
While he’s also been deployed in midfield, it’s fair to say the Villa academy graduate didn’t feature quite so prominently in Emery’s best laid plans.
Villa return to Premier League action on Saturday when they face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium in the 5.30pm kick-off live on Sky Sports.
They welcome Club Brugge to Villa Park on Wednesday for the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie.
