Aston Villa ponder move for former Liverpool striker

Aston Villa are weighing up a move to sign former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge on a free transfer this summer, claims The Sun.

Sturridge is currently a free agent after his contract with Liverpool expired at the start of the month.

Villa were promoted from the Championship last season and are aiming to sign up to nine new players this summer.

Dean Smith’s side utilised the loan market well last season en route to winning the Championship play-off final but that has left their squad thin for next term.

Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings is poised to become Villa’s sixth permanent signing of the summer and take their spending spree north of £70m.   

Villa have already bolstered their offensive options by signing Club Brugge striker Wesley in a deal worth more than £20m but are mulling a move for Sturridge.

The 29-year-old, who spent part of his youth development at Villa and is from Birmingham, is vastly experienced at Premier League level.

Sturridge dropped down the pecking order at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp before being released and has struggled to stay fit for prolonged periods in recent years.

The former England international managed 18 Premier League appearances last season, though only four of those were starts. He scored two goals in that time and has only netted seven times over the last three Premier League campaigns.