Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard is desperate to bolster his central midfield options this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Villans look almost certain to be competing in the Premier League again next season, giving Gerrard the chance to look ahead to how he can strengthen his team ahead of next term.

Which central midfielders have Aston Villa been linked with?

The Midlands club have been linked with a few high-profile names in recent months to improve their midfield.

Leeds' Kalvin Phillips is a name that has been mentioned, with Villa reportedly willing to pay £60m for the England international.

Meanwhile, Villa also made an offer for Yves Bissouma in January, but this was knocked back by Brighton.

Gerrard appears to have his eye on Atletico Madrid's Geoffrey Kondogbia as well, having personally gone to watch the 29-year-old play against Manchester City recently.

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What has Jones said about Gerrard wanting to sign a central midfielder?

Gerrard thrived as a central midfielder at Liverpool for over 15 years during his playing days, and Jones believes he wants to add someone to his squad that can bring similar energy and drive to Villa.

When asked if Gerrard is desperate to sign a midfielder as this was the position he flourished in, Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I think there’s a bit of bias. There’s no way you can leave your past in the past when you’re someone like Steven Gerrard, and there’s always going to be a part of you that wants to recreate what you were able to bring to a team, in a side that you’re building.

“So, there’ll definitely be an element of that, and he’ll see it as the most important signing in his team, no doubt about it.”

Is central midfield Villa's main area of weakness right now?

It has been reported that Gerrard is not completed convinced by captain Tyrone Mings at the back, and wants to sign a central defender in the off-season, while the 41-year-old has also been tipped to add a high-class striker to his ranks in the coming months.

With this in mind, it appears Gerrard wants to make significant changes to his team before next season gets underway, and is specifically targeting the spine of his side.

However, at least in defence, Gerrard has a number of options to choose from, with Calum Chambers and Kortney Hause providing cover for Mings and Ezri Konsa, while up front he has the likes of Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings to call upon.

In midfield, he seems to be more limited. Gerrard's preferred midfield quartet appears to be Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and Philippe Coutinho.

However, there is no guarantee that Coutinho will extend his stay at Villa Park once his loan deal expires at the end of the season, while Luiz has also been linked with a move away from the club.

Therefore, it is vital that Gerrard signs at least one central midfielder to ensure that his midfield can hold their own in the Premier League next season.