Villa target United swoop

Aston Villa are understood to have made a bid to sign Manchester United's Mikael Silvestre on loan to solve their full-back crisis.

Martin O'Neill is desperately short of cover at left-back and is believed to have earmarked former France international Silvestre to fill the gap left by the injured Wilfred Bouma.

The Dutch defender suffered a dislocated ankle in the InterToto Cup clash Odense last weekend and could be out of action for up to six months, leaving Villa very thin on defensive options.

O'Neill has sounded out Sir Alex Ferguson about the possibility of using Silvestre on a temporary basis, an option United may consider with John O'Shea providing cover for Patrice Evra.

Villa may face competition for the services though of the 30-year-old, with big-spending French outfit Paris St Germain also keen to sign the defender.