Championship new boys Stoke City are lining up a move for Aston Villa defender James Chester, according to a report from the Birmingham Mail.
The Midlanders have been hit by a financial crisis in recent weeks and they may be forced to sell some of their main assets in order to balance the books.
Stoke are on the lookout for a new central defender this transfer window after the departures of Kevin Wimmer and Kurt Zouma.
Potters boss Garry Rowett sees Chester as the ideal man to partner Ryan Shawcross at the back, to secure an instant return to the top flight.
With John Terry and Christopher Samba already leaving the club, Villa will not want to lose their defender as they look to build another promotion push next season.
The Welsh international joined the Villains from fellow Midlanders West Bromwich Albion in 2016 for an undisclosed fee.
He has been a stalwart at the heart of the Villa back line since his arrival, racking up 85 appearances in Claret and Blue, scoring 7 goals.
The Manchester United academy graduate made a name for himself during his time at Hull City, where he played under current Villa boss Steve Bruce, and helped the Tigers gain promotion to the Premier League in 2013.
Gary Rowett has already expressed his interest in signing players with experience of gaining promotion from the second tier, and Chester certainly fits the bill.
It is set to busy transfer window at Villa Park, with a number of departures expected, and James Chester could be another one out of the door as Villa look to build funds quickly.
