Portuguese defender Tiago Ilori is set to return to Liverpool this month, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The young centre-back joined Aston Villa on loan last summer, but is yet to make a Premier League appearance for them and has only been included in one matchday squad.
Tim Sherwood, the manager who paid a £1m loan fee to secure his services in the last transfer window, has since been sacked and new boss Remi Garde is reportedly planning to send Ilori back to Anfield.
The Portugal Under-21 international, aged 22, joined Liverpool from Sporting Lisbon for £7m in 2013. He spent last season on loan in France with Bordeaux.
Villa have an option to sign Ilori permanently for £6m, but they now look highly unlikely to take advantage of that.
Liverpool can recall the player during the January transfer window. Villa will reportedly seek to encourage them to do just that in order that they can free up space for another loan signing and so the Reds can dispatch Ilori elsewhere to gain more playing time.
