Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba a target for West Brom

The 29-year-old, who cost Villa £11million in 2019, is on Carlos Corberan's radar as the Baggies eye another option at the heart of their midfield.

Zimbabwean international Nakamba is free to leave Villa Park having not yet featured this season. He last played on the final day of last term, when Villa led at Manchester City until a late fightback.

He fell out of favour under Steven Gerrard after returning from a long-term knee problem and is not in Unai Emery's plans.

Corberan and his recruitment team are exploring the possibility of bringing him across the West Midlands to The Hawthorns but talks are not at an advanced stage, as reported elsewhere.

It remains to be seen whether interest in Nakamba could lead to a loan deal or a permanent transfer. His Villa deal runs until 2024.

Corberan wants to beef the depth of his squad in that department and Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien, who the head coach worked with at former club Huddersfield, was a key loan target.

But O'Brien is understood to be destined for Championship high-flyers Sheffield United after Forest inserted a obligation to buy clause of £10m at the end of the deal, a fee Albion cannot commit to.

The Blades look set to offload Sander Berge to free up funds for the move.

Another midfielder on the Baggies' radar is Fulham's Nathaniel Chalobah. Albion have been told the versatile midfielder, out of contract in the summer, is unavailable.

But he could become a valid option if Fulham bring in midfielders and the Cottagers are closing in on a deal for Torino's Sasa Lukic and also reported to be keen on the Blades' Berge.