Aston Villa are one of several Championship clubs tracking Marko Grujic.
Grujic became the first signing of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool reign in 2016, with the German coach helping the midfielder secure a move at a special hearing.
But first-team opportunities have proven limited for the 21-year-old, who has made just six appearances this season for the Reds, all of them as a substitute.
With Serbia heading to next summer’s World Cup finals, Grujic is keen to seal a regular run of games on loan to force his way into Slavoljub Muslin’s squad.
That has peaked the interest of several Championship sides, with the Birmingham Mail claiming that Aston Villa are chief among them.
Steve Bruce is keen to bolster his squad in the January transfer window to give his promotion-chasing team a boost in the second half of the campaign.
The Villa boss has identified central midfield as a key area which needs improvement and is believed to see Grujic as a potentially smart capture.
Last month Grujic’s agent Zoran Stojadinovic advocated a loan move to ensure he remained on track for both club and country in the long run.