Villa could sign Gerrard 2.0 in £14.4m-rated technician, supporters would love him – opinion

Aston Villa have been handed a boost by the admission of one of their reported transfer targets.

As per a report from Birmingham Mail, Villa-linked Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has become a potential option, with him reportedly expressing his desperation to leave Anfield due to annoyance over a lack of game-time.

It is said that the former Arsenal midfielder “could be tempted” to work under Gerrard after his previous comment mentioning the Villa boss was hurled back into the spotlight amidst the 28-year-old’s links with the Midlands club.

The same report mentioned that, in 2017, Oxlade-Chamberlain said: “Playing for a team like Arsenal, it ends up being more of a right-wing job. I get the ball from deeper and the plays into my hands more. At the end of the day, it’s given me minutes and I’m not one to complain.

“But, the centre-mid role… I’ve always wanted to be Steven Gerrard, so I’ve still got a hope of that.”

Indeed, the £14.4m-rated Oxlade-Chamberlain’s versatility in itself is a phenomenal asset to have among the team, something that Villa already have to some degree in 36-year-old Ashley Young.

However, whilst the Liverpool midfielder does indeed offer versatility in the engine room, he has still struggled for game-time, playing just 787 minutes from 17 appearances in the Premier League last term.

Twelve of those appearances have seen him function as a central midfielder, but he is still nowhere near a nailed-on option in the middle of the park.

Turning 29 in August, it is high-time that the 35-cap England international achieved regular first-team status in a progressive club where he could make his way into the first team as a central midfielder.

Despite a lack of game-time, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s numbers are that of a