Aston Villa have been one of the more proactive clubs in the Premier League when it comes to completing transfer deals over the past few years.

Not only have the Midlands club seen numerous players make the move to Villa Park on permanent and loan deals but many other figures have been moved out in the other direction.

With the upcoming summer transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though the same sort of transactions could be taking place at Villa Park once again.

What's the news?

In a recent report from the Daily Mirror about what potential business the Villans could do in the summer, they had this to say about the possibility of a deal being worked out that would see Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma swap the south coast for the Midlands.

"Striker Danny Ings is another who could find himself surplus - and the possibility of a swap deal with Brighton - who have struggled chronically for goals this term - with Bissouma coming in the other direction has not been ruled out."

The Villans were linked with a move for the Mali international back in the previous January transfer window and even had a bid rejected for him.

Sign him up

Labelled as a "phenomenal" player by former Villa star Lee Hendrie, Bissouma has racked up a total of 110 tackles and interceptions in the league this season as well as 38 clearances and 34 blocks.

This shows what a solid defensive figure he can be, which is something that Steven Gerrard's side could do with given how they've conceded nine goals in their past four league games.

Having also been labelled as a "machine" on the pitch by his Brighton teammate Lewis Dunk, the 25-year-old could be a vital player for Villa in the middle of the field.

As for Ings, since his arrival back in the summer, the striker has only managed to score five goals in 25 appearances for the Midlands club across the Premier League and FA Cup.

With this in mind, if Gerrard doesn't think the Englishman has what it takes to carry on in his Villa side or have the necessary qualities to start scoring goals on a regular basis, using him in a potential swap deal for Bissouma could be the way forward for the Midlands club.

Rather than paying the reported £50m the Seagulls may want for their star man, this seems like a smart way around it for Johan Lange.

In other news: Gerrard now plotting AVFC bid for “mesmerising” £23m monster, he’s a “rare talent”