Aston Villa linked with 'promising' transfer after Steven Gerrard comments

Aston Villa are reportedly keeping an eye on Chinwike Okoli's situation at Millwall.

According to reports the 18 year-old centre-back is a transfer target for Villa and Championship sides AFC Bournemouth, Cardiff City and Fulham are all "monitoring" the player's situation. Okoli is described as a 'promising' defender who has been offered his first professional deal by Millwall, a two year contract that would expire at the end of the 2023-24 season.

Okoli is said to be considering the contract that would extend his stay at his boyhood club, whom he joined at the age of 12, according to the website allnigeriasoccer.com. The youngster is comfortable with the ball at his feet and has made two appearances in the FA Youth Cup for Millwall so far in his career, featuring in a penalty shoot-out defeat to Sheffield United back in December.

Villa have earned a reputation for developing top quality local talent into first-team players with Jacob Ramsey and Jack Grealish both progressing through the Bodymoor Heath academy, the latter signing for Manchester City in a £100million deal in August. But Villa have also recruited well from other clubs, bringing players in to finish off their development at Bodymoor.

Brothers Carney and Caleb Chukwuemeka were signed from Northampton Town and Louie Barry arrived from Barcelona a couple of years ago. Kerr Smith was recently brought in from Dundee United while a clutch of players have made the switch from West Bromwich Albion to Villa including Tim Iroegbunam.

Steven Gerrard has shown that he is willing to give playing time to Villa's top young players with Ramsey a mainstay of his starting XI while Iroegbunam, Tommi O'Reilly and Chukwuemeka have all been with the first-team squad on