Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard is reportedly eyeing a reunion with 29-year-old Rangers defender Borna Barisic at Villa Park.
According to a report by Daily Mirror, as relayed by The Sun, Borna Barisic is the latest Rangers player to be linked with a move to Aston Villa. The Villans’ boss Steven Gerrard is keen reuniting with the 29-year-old defender, who could cost around £8 million.
Borna Barisic joined Rangers from NK Osijek in August 2018 and has since established himself as a key figure for the club. The Croatian international, a regular feature for club and country, played a major role in the Scottish giants’ return to the summit of the Premiership, as they won the title last season.
To date, the 29-year-old has made 126 appearances for Rangers, chipping in with seven goals and 34 assists in the process. His progress under Steven Gerrard has left the newly-appointed Aston Villa manager impressed greatly by his qualities. And the Villans’ boss is now eager to reunite with Barisic at his new club.
Ever since the day Steven Gerrard was confirmed as their new manager, Aston Villa have been linked with a gamut of players to strengthen their squad in the January transfer. In particular, they have shown keen interest in Rangers stars, including Ryan Kent and Glen Kamara.
However, defence, in particular, seems to be a major area of concern for Gerrard, with Nathan Patterson among those on Aston Villa’s radar. As far as the left-back slot is concerned, Villa’s current first-choice option is Matt Targett.
However, Gerrard is not entirely convinced by the qualities of Targett, whose backup is Ashley Young. With Young approaching the end of his career, it does behove Aston Villa to be searching for a left-back, with Barisic a viable target for the club. And signing the 29-year-old might not be too expensive either, with Rangers demanding around £8 million for him.
What now remains to be seen is if the Villans are prepared to fork out the required £8 million to swoop Barisic away from Rangers. With Gerrard keen on a reunion with the 29-year-old, it will not be surprising if he makes his way to Aston Villa soon.
