Johan Lange and Aston Villa are keeping an eye on former Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale.

What's the word?

That is according to a report from The Guardian, who claimed that Steven Gerrard's side are among a trio of clubs tipped as possible destinations for the Wales captain.

The soon-to-be free agent is said to be keen on finding a new club to ensure that he is fit for his country's upcoming World Cup campaign in Qatar later this year.

As such, Villa have competition for his signature in Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Bale's former club Tottenham Hotspur.

Imagine him and Coutinho

The signing of Bale would represent tremendous ambition for a Villa side who appear to be undergoing a mini-rebuild, with Gerrard putting his mark on the squad in what will be his first full season at the club.

The former Liverpool captain is not messing around this summer, and despite securing permanent deals for four players already, it looks as though he is by no means done there.

Despite Carlo Ancelotti’s return to Real Madrid, Bale has hardly been given a chance under the manager who first brought him to the Bernabeu in 2013, making just five appearances in the most recent La Liga campaign, with one goal to show for it.

However, it's worth noting that, whilst not being given much of a chance, the 32-year-old has still managed to score five La Liga seasons.

A move to an ambitious Villa side under a potentially more trusting manager in Gerrard could be enough to rejuvenate Bale’s passion for the game and would likely help the Villans to make a stronger push for European qualification.

However, it's the potential partnership between former El Classico duo Bale and Philippe Coutinho which could strike fear into the rest of the Premier League, with both players having found life difficult at times at Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.

Coutinho has seemingly enjoyed his football under Gerrard, making the move permanent after a respectable return of five goals and three assists in 19 Premier League appearances.

At Villa, it appears that he is playing without pressure, as if a weight has been lifted from him.

This is the effect which could also be had with the "exquisite" Bale, as dubbed by verified journalist Elliot Foster, and a partnership between two serial winners who have suffered subjective mistreatment throughout their careers could well bode for a bond on and off the pitch.

This would be a great move for both club and player.

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