35-year-old centre-back James Collins has been training at Aston Villa for the past couple of days, according to the Birmingham Mail.
The report claims that after Steve Bruce invited Collins to Bodymoor Heath, and was expected to offer him a deal, Dean Smith wants to run the rule over the veteran enforcer.
He will make a decision on whether to offer him a contract or not with Collins keen for a return to Villa Park.
The former Villa man, who joined from West Ham in a deal worth £5million in 2009, moved back to the Hammers three years later where he played until his contract ran out over the summer.
OPINION
Collins wanted to stay at West Ham but new manager Manuel Pellegrini called time on his career at the club, despite the 35-year-old saying he could still play in the Premier League. He’s recovered from a hamstring injury and is reported to be fully fit and we think it would be a decent way for Smith to make his first signing. Collins can definitely still do a job in the Championship – his displays for West Ham last season were proof of that. He’s a no-nonsense defender, not too far away from John Terry in playing style, and he can add more depth to Smith’s squad in what will be a gruelling season. Villa are short on centre-back options at the moment, with James Chester the only recognised player in that position. Villa fans are in two minds about a possible return for Collins though, with some thinking he’s too old to play alongside 29-year-old Chester.