Aston Villa transfer news: West Brom’s James Chester being hunted by local rivals and Middlesbrough

JAMES CHESTER is being hunted by Aston Villa and Middlesbrough.

Chester, 27, became West Brom’s most expensive defender when he signed from Hull for £8million last summer.

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But the Welsh international played just once in his recognised position of centre-back last season.

Villa see him as an ideal replacement for  Ciaran Clark, who has left for Newcastle.

But they face competition from Premier League new-boys Middlesbrough who have tabled a £5m bid after failing to land Hull’s Harry Maguire.

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