Steven Gerrard had intentions of signing James Tarkowski for Aston Villa prior to Everton agreeing a free transfer for the former Burnley defender this summer.
Since arriving at Goodison Park, Tarkowski has formed an effective partnership alongside Conor Coady and already looks to be an inspired purchase by the Blues' transfer department.
Arriving at the club with a wealth of Premier League experience, the 29-year-old has completed the full 90 minutes in each of the Toffees' 11 league outings but could well have ended up elsewhere having also been linked with the likes of Newcastle United and West Ham United.
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It has now emerged Aston Villa could have, too, rivalled Everton for the signature of Tarkowski due to Gerrard's firm interest in the player. A report by the Athletic has detailed how the Liverpool legend identified a 'robust centre-back' as one of his priority signings during the summer and that 'considerable time' was spent attempting to convince the Manchester-born defender a move to Villa Park would be in his best interests.
The West Midlands club instead recruited Diego Carlos from Sevilla as part of a £26million deal and featured in a 2-1 win over Everton two games into the new campaign. It was during this fixture the Brazilian ruptured his Achilles' tendon and is now set for an extended period on the sidelines.
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