Aston Villa could be looking to improve their chances of qualifying for the Premier League next season by making a shock move for the out of sorts Ashley Cole.

Cole, 37, was named as one of eight players who were released by LA Galaxy on Monday after the club failed to qualify for the playoff stages of the MLS.

And now, according to the Daily Mirror, are some Championship clubs looking to pounce on the former England international's situation and offer him a deal in January.

Villa are said to be one of those teams who believe Cole could add value to their squad and might reap rewards from the experience he could add to Dean Smith's setup.

Cole, arguably one of the most renowned left-backs in Premier League history, spent seven years at Arsenal, before moving across London to rivals Chelsea where he completed another eight seasons; most notably winning the Champions League with the Blues in 2012.

After two very unsatisfactory seasons at Italian outfit Roma, Cole decided to move to America in 2016, where he signed for LA Galaxy.

Before being left out of the club's squad for 2019, Cole captained the Galaxy in the past season, but not with a great deal of success.

A move to Villa would certainly make for an interesting headline but having played with assistant coach John Terry for so many years at Chelsea, the management might feel Cole could give the team a bit of a boost when they continue their push for a spot in the playoffs towards the end of the season.

Villa narrowly missed out on promotion last season after losing to Fulham in the playoffs final and have shown in recent matches that they are hoping to correct that feat this time around.

Smith's men have gathered some good momentum to finish the year with a bang, thumping Derby County 3-0 before the international break and beating rivals Birmingham City in the Second City Derby on Sunday.