Unai Emery has been on hunt for defensive reinforcements in recent days following the exit of Ezri Konsa to Arsenal plus Lucas Digne's return to PSG.
Pau Torres and Victor Lindelof struggled as a pair in Villa's opening Premier League game of 2026/27, with a 4-0 loss at Brighton & Hove Albion, and that has only intensified Emery's search.
However, with Southampton not actively looking to sell the England international, they have turned down two previous offers which were considered well below his current market value.
As per the latest from The Athletic, Villa's third bid has now been deemed as good enough, as part of a transfer package of a £25M guaranteed fee plus £5M in future add-ons.
The 24-year-old, who came through Manchester City's youth academy, has one season of top-flight experience after being relegated with the Saints in 2025.