Aston Villa are starting to rebuild their reputation which could entice West Brom players to join their rivals.

Steve Bruce's men are close to returning to the Premier League after two seasons in the Championship.

Relegation was naturally met with huge disappointment, but it has allowed them to properly rebuild and they have an experienced manager at that level with Bruce.

They have the play-offs to navigate first, though, if they want to get promoted which won't be an easy task. However, they will be buoyed by the recent success over Cardiff City.

Regardless of whether they stay up, their rivals West Brom are in dire straits.

Therefore, players could potentially be enticed from there even if they are both competing in the Championship next season.

Here are two players who could Villa should sign from the Baggies instead of Jake Livermore....

Gibbs only joined the club in the summer after a long spell at Arsenal. Therefore, he is unlikely to have too much loyalty to the club especially considering he is a Premier League level player.

Villa have a reputation as a big club even though they are in the Championship, so Gibbs could be persuaded to join even if they are unsuccessful in the play-offs this season.

The left-back position is a weak area in the squad, so bringing in Gibbs would add experience which Bruce prefers, but also longevity because he is only 28-years-old. Therefore, he fills a key need and is a player that suits Bruce, so it would be a great fit for the club and the player especially considering the mess that West Brom are currently in.

Burke was another player who joined West Brom in the summer, but he hasn't played much recently unlike Gibbs. There was a lot of hype around him after his spell in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig. However, he hasn't really delivered on that as of yet, although that can't be blamed solely on him. He has managed two assists in 344 minutes, which is impressive.

He initially made his name with Nottingham Forest in the Championship. Therefore, it's a league that he knows well and he could use that to rejuvenate his career unless Villa get promoted in which case he can prove he is good enough for the Premier League.

The stability at Villa and the experience of Bruce could allow him to thrive because he has all the physical aspects to succeed, but he needs to work on his tactical intelligence. He has only just turned 21, though, so he has plenty of time to improve and could be a promising long-term project for the club.