Reported Aston Villa move for top-flight England hopeful will spell end for Bruce favourite
COMMENT
Aston Villa are reportedly interested in bringing Jake Livermore to Villa Park, but it all depends on them winning promotion to the Premier League.
He'd be a fine addition to Steve Bruce's side, although it looks like they'll have to get back up to the top-flight the hard way.
Automatic promotion is looking tough now, with Villa five points behind Fulham in second place and four points behind Cardiff in third who have played one game fewer.
However, if they got up and signed Livermore, who is still hoping to make the England squad this summer despite a terrible season with West Brom, it would present Bruce with an interesting conundrum.
They currently have a plethora of defensive midfielders, with Glenn Whelan, Mile Jedinak and Birkir Bjarnason all currently vying for a place in the side.
With Livermore added to the mix you'd have to think one of these three would have to leave, and we think that would be Whelan, despite Bruce being a fan.
Bruce said that Whelan would be a "huge loss" for the game against Wolves and that he's been their best player on occasions this season.
That doesn't really fit with how the fans have viewed his contribution this season, and the midfielder has come in for some hefty criticism from fans.
And they might be pleased to know that we think promotion could well lead to Livermore arriving and Whelan leaving.
That might be a brutal going up present for the 34-year-old, but we just don't think he's got the legs for the English top flight, although a move north of the border, to a club like Rangers, could give him an extra lease of life.
In other Aston Villa news, 'Give him a chance' - Aston Villa fans blown away by U23 player, want him promoted to first-team