Sherwood's Summer Signings: ex-England internationals on their way to Villa Park?

It may be presumptuous to start discussing transfer windows when the club's survival still lies up in the air; the gap between the bottom three and Villa is an uncomfortable 2 points, but there have been ample rumours in the last week alone.

Making a loan deal permanent

Tom Cleverley seemed to shoot his chances of joining Villa down during last Summer's deadline day, as he initially rejected a move to Villa Park in hope of joining up with Roberto Martínez at Everton. An initial £8 million offer from Villa was accepted, only for the player's excessive wage demands to halt proceedings. Desperate for first team football, Cleverley rang Lambert and pleaded him to work on a loan deal, he duly obliged.

January rumours seemed to suggest that Cleverley was still holding out for a move to Everton in the close-season and that Merseyside was his destination of choice. However, following a turnaround in the Villa dugout, Sherwood may be able to convince his man to stay. With his contract winding down this summer, a free transfer would free up more of the wage bill to meet his questionable wage demands.

Talking to Sky Sports Sherwood said: "I think there is a good chance we will try and do a deal if it's right for both parties."

Failing this, Jake Livermore's name has been thrown about in the last week, and pending Hull's relegation, a cut-price deal could be done. Sherwood brought through the player at Spurs, who has one England cap, and as a dynamic box-to-box midfielder he would be an obvious replacement if Cleverley was to leave. With a potential takeover allegedly worth £150 million, you could forgive Villa fans for hoping for more than Jake Livermore.

Richards Returns?

Local lad Micah Richards has been linked with a move back to Birmingham, according to London 24, following a severely disappointing stagnation of a once promising career. In a move to cement regular football, Richards swapped Manchester for Florence on loan, at the start of this season. Since that move he has only managed 9 appearances for Fiorentina in Serie A all season.

Like Cleverley, Richards' current deal expires in the summer and there is no way he will be playing for Manchester City next season. An option at both right back and centre back he could provide some useful cover At 26, could Sherwood work his magic on the Englishman? Villa's first choice must be to secure a new deal for Ron Vlaar. That possibility once looked impossible, but as highlighted by fellow 7500 to Holte writer Jack Grimse, the Sherwood factor means that it is looking increasingly likely.