TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook thinks Steven Gerrard would be interested in bringing Liverpool defender Nat Phillips to Aston Villa in January.

Phillips played an important role in securing Champions League football for the Reds last term, but he has struggled for game time in recent months.

What's the latest news on Phillips?

The 24-year-old has not played in the Premier League in 2021/22, and appears to be behind Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez in the pecking order at Anfield.

It seems unlikely that his fortunes will change in the second half of the season unless Liverpool endure a similar injury crisis at the back to last year.

Therefore, in order to get regular first-team football Phillips may need to move on this month, and he has been linked to several Premier League clubs, including Villa.

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What has Crook said about Phillips potentially joining Villa?

Crook has confirmed that Liverpool are open to offloading the 6 foot 3 defender, and has hinted that Gerrard could contact his former club to push a deal through for Phillips.

Speaking about Villa's transfer plans, Crook told GIVEMESPORT: “They want a centre-back as well and Nat Phillips is somebody who Liverpool are willing to sell. Obviously, given Steven Gerrard’s Liverpool connections, that would be a name that would appear to tick a few boxes.”

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Would Phillips be a good signing for Villa?

There is an argument that Phillips is not an upgrade on Villa's current centre-back options. 

Tyrone Mings is an established international who represented England at last summer's European Championships, while Ezri Konsa has cemented his place in the team since joining from Brentford in 2019.

With this in mind, there is no guarantee that Phillips would go straight into the team.

However, Axel Tuanzebe has just departed to join Napoli on loan, while Kortney Hause is out of contract in June, so Villa's defence now looks a little threadbare.

Therefore, signing Phillips would be a smart piece of business from the Villans as he could provide competition for places and add strength in depth to the side's backline.

He showed during the second half of last season at Liverpool that he has what it takes to succeed at this level, and joining Villa could be the perfect move for him to ensure that his career does not stagnate. 

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