Aston Villa have reportedly set their sights on Liverpool youngster Ben Woodburn and a return for Robert Snodgrass from West Ham United on loan deals.
Steve Bruce and his side suffered heartbreak last season after their defeat to Fulham in the Championship playoff final, as they now prepare for another year in the second tier of English football.
Their summer has proven to be particularly problematic due to well-documented issues with Financial Fair Play, but it appears as though they have turned a corner after bringing in new investment with new ownership.
Now, according to The Telegraph, they are looking to strengthen the squad in order to push on for promotion again this season with Liverpool starlet Woodburn said to be on their radar with discussions taking place between the two clubs.
The 18-year-old has been limited to 11 appearances for the senior Liverpool side over the past two years, but he certainly has plenty of talent and so a loan move to Aston Villa could prove to be particularly beneficial to him in terms of gaining experience and developing his game with regular playing time.
It’s a strategy that has seemingly proven to be popular with other young stars at top Premier League clubs, with the likes of Josh Onomah and Axel Tuanzebe joining Villa last season.
Meanwhile, after making a very positive impact at Villa Park last season, Snodgrass is also said to be a target for the club as they line up another loan deal for him, as per the Birmingham Mail.
The 30-year-old scored eight goals and provided 13 assists in 43 games last season, and so with that attacking quality coupled with his experience, he could also be a sensible addition to the squad as Bruce needs to find the balance in order to put Villa in the strongest possible position to achieve their objective this season.