Aston Villa are currently preparing for their play-off final against Fulham but that does not mean that they are not scouring the transfer market for potential signings already.

Steve Bruce will have drawn up two separate shortlists: one for if they go up and one for if they lose the final to the Cottagers and are consigned to another year in the second tier.

If Villa remain in the Championship, Financial Fair Play regulations could restrict them to loans and freebies if they cannot sell some of their prize assets to generate transfer funds.

One player they have been targeting is Hull City's Abel Hernandez, who is due to leave the Tigers when his contract expires this summer.

Aston Villa face competition from Leeds United for the the 27-year-old - who reportedly earns wages of £40k per week.

If Bruce does snap up the Uruguay international, here are three things that he could offer the Villains.

Bruce brought Hernandez to England when he signed him for Hull and he could eye a reunion.

The former Tigers boss has already brought Ahmed Elmohamady with him to Villa Park and could now be set to swoop for free agent duo Hernandez and Moses Odubajo.

Hernandez is familiar with Bruce and he could get the best out of the impressive forward.

Despite spending the vast majority of this season out with a serious injury, Hernandez returned to score eight goals in eight starts for the Tigers.

Two years ago, the former Palermo striker netted 20 league goals in 39 games in the Championship to fire Hull to promotion, meaning that he would be the ideal free transfer for Villa if they stay down.

Although he has not quite repeated those goal scoring exploits in the top flight, there is no doubt that he knows where the net is and with some confidence, he could be a decent Premier League striker.

Aston Villa currently have a number of strikers on their books in Scott Hogan, Keinan Davis, Jonathan Kodjia, Ross McCormack, Lewis Grabban and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy.

But with McCormack set to leave, Grabban's loan expiring and Hepburn-Murphy still needing another year or so before he is first-team ready, Hernandez could come in and add some competition for places.

Regardless of which division they are playing their football in next year, Aston Villa could do with some strength in depth up front.