Monchi makes decision as two Aston Villa transfer targets face off

Aston Villa overcame West Ham United despite falling behind in the FA Cup third round tie at Villa Park on Friday night - but president of football operations Monchi wasn't reported to be in attendance. Indeed the Spaniard wasn't even in England, having headed home to make a personal check on two potential transfer targets.

Villa's transfer guru deemed it a better use of his time to revisit La Liga - where he enjoyed plenty of success at former club Sevilla - and take in Rayo Vallecano against Celta Vigo on Friday night, while Villa were playing out their fixture with the Irons. Rayo emerged 2-1 victors in a game which saw former Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso sent off for Vigo in stoppage time.

Both sides, interestingly, fielded defenders - playing at right-back - who have been extensively linked with Villa this month; Vigo utilised Oscar Mingueza on the right side of their defence, while Rayo had Romanian international Andrei Ratiu in the same position - he too has been named as a potential candidate as Villa eye defensive cover this month.

Villa have lost Pau Torres to injury for the next couple of months while doubts still remain as to whether Diego Carlos will still be a Villa player come the 3rd of February - he has interest from Jose Mourinho and Fenerbahce in Turkey. With Kosta Nedeljkovic also expected to leave on loan, Villa are hunting a versatile defender to cover a range of positions.

Monchi was spotted in attendance at Rayo's stadium, on an evening when they and Ratiu got the better of Mingueza and Vigo; the former sit in ninth in La Liga after their victory, while the defeated latter are in twelfth.

What is Villa's transfer priority this month? Tell us HERE

Buy your Aston Villa 150th anniversary commemorative kit

Aston Villa have released a special commemorative kit to celebrate the club's 150th anniversary - and you can get your hands on one now.

The club is continuing its season-long celebration on Friday night when Unai Emery's side host West Ham in the FA Cup. To mark the fixture, which is nearly 150 years to the day of their first-ever recorded match, players will wear a one-off black kit.

It's the colour Villa first used for their kits before the transition to claret and blue colours. The shirts will also feature adidas' Aeroready technology as well as the famous three stripes in all black.

Buy your commemorative Villa kit HERE