Dean Smith is surely expected to strengthen his Aston Villa squad further as we pass the halfway mark of the January transfer window.

The Villans have struggled to keep pace with the promotion chasers since Steve Bruce departed and some new arrivals could give their season the boost it needs. Villa have already completed a deal for Lovre Kalinic as well as a loan deal for young Wolves defender – Kortney Hause. Smith also decided to recall 20-year-old winger, Andre Green, from his spell at Portsmouth.

The 47-year-old should still be targeting attacking reinforcements to lower the creative burden on the shoulders of Jack Grealish. Yannick Bolasie has struggled to make an impact while on loan from Everton with Ahmed El Ghazi also failing to impress. Landing a new winger could prove to be a worthwhile move.

One man they could target is Liverpool outcast – Lazar Markovic. Valued at just £4.5m by Transfermarkt, the winger has proven to be one of the club’s worst ever transfers after completing a move to Anfield from Benfica for £20m. Markovic failed to make any sort of impact on Merseyside and has been banished to the Academy after rejecting a summer move away from the club. Liverpool are reportedly (via the Liverpool Echo) keen to offload him this month with his contract set to expire in the summer.

Despite being isolated from the first-team, Markovic’s professionalism has been commended by the Liverpool staff – there is still hope that the winger can revive his career elsewhere. The 24-year-old possesses blistering pace and expert dribbling ability which makes him difficult to deal with – he showed his talents best during a loan spell with Hull City. In a new environment free from the pressures of life on Merseyside could be just what he needs to rediscover the form that made him one of Europe’s most coveted youngsters.

Available on the cheap, this could move could prove to be fantastic.

Aston Villa fans, thoughts?