Aston Villa target Leicester City striker Leonardo Ulloa

Boss Steve Bruce is eager to bolster his forward department for the Championship run-in and has identified the 31-year-old Argentine as his top target.

Bruce is also interested in taking the Premier League club’s versatile defender Daniel Amartey in a temporary deal.

But is the top end of the pitch which remains Villa’s most pressing concern, following the loss of last season’s top scorer Jonathan Kodjia to a long-term ankle injury.

Bruce has, for large portions of the campaign, been forced to lean on teenage striker Keinan Davis.

Scott Hogan, who joined in a £12million move from Brentford 12 months ago, has netted only two league goals in a Villa career hampered by niggling injuries.

Ulloa has been limited to just four substitute appearances in the Premier League this season.

Yet the 31-year-old’s goalscoring record since joining the Foxes in the 2014 remains respectable, while the most telling statistic of all is the 23 goals he netted in 50 Championship appearances for Brighton in an 18 months period from January 2013.

Villa’s need to remain within the parameters of Financial Fair Play means they are limited to loan options during the current window and Bruce anticipates it could be near the end of the month when any deals are concluded.