Aston Villa transfer news: Yves Bissouma and Kalvin Phillips are ideal signings - pundit

Alan Hutton has insisted signing Kalvin Phillips or Yves Bissouma would be a big upgrade in midfield for Aston Villa this summer.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Villa defender insisted the Leeds United and Brighton stars offer a lot more than Douglas Luiz.

As revealed by Football Insider (11 April), Gerrard is willing to let Douglas Luiz leave in order to free up space for his top midfield targets, who include Phillips, 26, and Bissouma, 25.

A recruitment source told this site the Villans have already been in contact with Bissouma's camp with a view to a summer move.

Hutton insisted both the Brighton star and Phillips would be a notable improvement on Luiz.

"If you look at the type of player Gerrard has been looking for, it's all defensive midfielders," Hutton told Football Insider's Russell Edge.

"Yves Bissouma, Kalvin Phillips. Maybe he's looking for a different type of defensive midfielder. Somebody who can do something a little bit different.

"I think they've got more ability going forward. Douglas Luiz, quite simply, sits back and defends. He can be over-aggressive at times, but I understand that comes with the position.

"But I think if you look at Bissouma, Kalvin Phillips, their range of passing, what they can do moving forward, they can play it in midfield a different way to what Douglas Luiz can.

"I think he's just a defensive midfielder. The other two guys can play as a number eight or six. They've got more about them."

Luiz has been a mainstay for Villa this season, with 27 Premier League appearances under his belt.

Gerrard also has John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey, Morgan Sanson and Marvelous Nakamba to call on in central midfield.

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