Steven Gerrard has suffered what can only be described as a Jekyll and Hyde start to his Premier League managerial career with Aston Villa.
A solid start in the Midlands was quickly forgotten following a poor festive period, and following their 3-2 defeat to Manchester City last Sunday, they ended up in 14th place, three positions worse off than in 2020/21.
Gerrard has already begun to plan ahead for next season, though, securing the signings of Philippe Coutinho, Diego Carlos, and Boubacar Kamara as he aims to rejuvenate a playing squad which should be capable of finishing in the top half of the table.
The 41-year-old has shown interest in Rangers defender Calvin Bassey recently, although it’s a deal for another defender in Sven Botman which could really excite the supporters.
The Telegraph have stated that Villa are one of the clubs who are keen on the 22-year-old Lille defender and are waiting in the wings in case his proposed move to Serie A champions AC Milan doesn’t happen.
Villa Park would be rocking
The centre-back has been described as a “leader” by former Lille manager Christophe Galtier, and with his agent Francesco Miniero lauding him as a “golden boy”, the future looks bright for the Dutchman.
It was reported in April that a €33m (£28m) move to Milan was close to completion, although nothing has been confirmed yet, so Villa should strike when they get the chance.
Botman ranks third in the Lille squad this season with an average WhoScored rating of 6.83, winning 2.3 aerial duels per game. This would rank him joint-third in the Villa squad for that metric, with only Kortney Hause (2.9) and Calum Chambers (2.4) more dominant in the air.
If Gerrard can pull off this deal, it would signal a huge statement of intent from the Midlands club. Milan will be appearing in the Champions League next season, so turning that opportunity down in order to play in the Premier League would leave the Villa Park faithful absolutely rocking.
It could well be a very interesting transfer window for the club's supporters, if this month's activity is anything to go by.