Villa in talks with Club Brugge for defender Ordonez

Aston Villa are in talks with Belgian champions Club Brugge over the acquisition of defender Joel Ordonez after their pursuit of Southampton’s Taylor Harwood‑Bellis stalled. The Premier League club, which sold England international Ezri Konsa to Arsenal last week, is accelerating its interest in the Ecuadorian centre‑back. Discussions are ongoing and Club Brugge are demanding a minimum fee of £40 million for the player. At 22 years old, Ordonez has represented Ecuador at the recent World Cup and has made 124 appearances for Club Brugge since joining from Independiente del Valle in 2022. Villa had previously identified Southampton’s Taylor Harwood‑Bellis as a target, but an offer valued at £18 million was rejected, leaving a significant gap in valuation between the two clubs. Whether a move for the 24‑year‑old Harwood‑Bellis can be revived remains uncertain; for now, Unai Emery’s squad has shifted its focus to other options. The Villans opened the season with a 4‑0 defeat to Brighton on Sunday and are working to strengthen their roster before the transfer deadline on 1 September. This summer they have already lost several key figures, including Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa. In addition, speculation continues over the future of striker Ollie Watkins, who has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabian side Al‑Hilal.