Boubacar Kamara: This may be real reason Aston Villa beat Newcastle and Arsenal to deal - pundit
Alan Hutton has suggested Steven Gerrard was a decisive factor in Aston Villa beating Newcastle United and Arsenal to the signing of Boubacar Kamara.
The former Scotland defender, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the reputation and prestige of the Villa boss is a big lure for any player.
As revealed by Football Insider on Monday morning (23 May), Newcastle and Arsenal both offered contracts to Kamara, 22, before he signed for Villa.
Aston Villa confirmed the midfielder's arrival from Marseille later on Monday.
Hutton suggested the opportunity to work with Gerrard would have been a "big draw" for Kamara.
He told Football Insider's Russell Edge: "It was Gerrard, Christian Purslow and Johan Lange who actually went to meet him.
"I think when you see that, as a player, the main men are coming to welcome you, this what it's going to be, this is the plan moving forward, they sell you the dream. He obviously wants to be part of that.
"Steven Gerrard has a big draw, as we know, for players.
"The thing I do like is Villa are getting their business done early. Obviously Coutinho, now they've got Kamara. That was the position Steven Gerrard looked like he really wanted to address as soon as possible."
Villa already have John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Marvelous Nakamba, Morgan Sanson and Jacob Ramsey as midfield options.
Kamara played 170 times for Marseille after breaking through the club's youth ranks.
Villa have since announced a deal to sign Diego Carlos from Sevilla.