Three areas Aston Villa could look to strengthen in January

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With the January transfer window now open, HITC Sport looks at three key areas in which Steve Bruce may be looking for reinforcements.

As they look to press on towards the Championship play-off places, Aston Villa have improved immensely under new boss, Steve Bruce. Despite buying plenty of players over the summer, many Villa fans still feel the club needs a few more additions to give them that extra boost to force their way into a promotion place.

With that in mind, we take a look at three key areas where Aston Villa might be looking to recruit, to either add something different to their team, or to reinforce an already solid base.

Aston Villa Manager Steve Bruce

A New Goalkeeper

Despite signing the highly-rated Italian goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini in the summer, Aston Villa have struggled between the sticks this season. Though showing a lot of promise, the young Italian has been rather inconsistent, and his back up (Mark Bunn) hasn’t filled Villa fans with confidence. As they try to push on for promotion, Steve Bruce will be feeling he needs a more reliable figure at the back for his side, and is expected to sign Manchester United’s young keeper, Sam Johnstone, if reports in the Birmingham Mail are to be believed.

Pierluigi Gollini of Aston Villa

An Attacking Midfielder

After coming unstuck on a number of occasions this season by simply not scoring enough goals, it’s likely that Steve Bruce will be searching for an attacking midfielder in this window. Though Villa’s midfield is full of impressive attacking players, they are lacking goals from the centre of the park, and may well turn to Nottingham Forest’s Henri Lansbury. Despite strong interest from Derby County and Watford, Lansbury may well be doable for Bruce, as he looks to be available on a cut price, due to his contract with the Reds expiring in the summer.

Nottingham Forest’s Henri Lansbury

A New Striker

After the recent departure of Rudy Gestede to Middlesbrough, Steve Bruce will likely be looking for another striker in this window. Despite fielding Jonathan Kodjia and Ross McCormack, two very good strikers at this level, Bruce is likely to be after a replacement for the now departed Gestede, and may well turn to one of his former team mates: Middlesbrough forward, Jordan Rhodes. After starting just two Premier League games this season, Rhodes will be looking for more first team football, and as a proven goalscorer at this level, the former Blackburn forward would certainly add that extra firepower Bruce’s side needs to propel them up into a potential automatic promotion place.

Middlesbrough’s Jordan Rhodes