Steven Gerarrd does not want Axel Tuanzebe to return to Manchester United despite his limited playing time at Aston Villa this season.
Tuanzebe, 24, re-joined Villa on loan at the start of the season but struggled for regular minutes under former manager Dean Smith before Gerrard even took over.
All six of Tuanzebe's starts in the Premier League this season came under Smith, and he has only played a subsequent eight minutes of football since Gerrard was named manager in November.
Recent reports have suggested United could look to recall the central defender next month before sanctioning another loan move in the January transfer window, though Liverpool legend Gerrard is desperate to keep him at the club.
"It’s very much in Ax’s hands and Manchester United’s hands," the Villa boss told reporters. "We want him here, we would be delighted to keep him. We don’t just see it as a loan until the end of the season.
"It’s something we want to explore further than that. We just hope we’ve got that opportunity.
"He’s a player we like very much and we’d like him to stay until the end of the season at least. Axel is his own man and will want to make his own decision.
"He is obviously owned by Manchester United which we all need to respect. I hope he wants to be part of this.
"In terms of what he has given on a daily basis, his leadership and training levels have been really strong and he is pushing to play."
Gerrard went on to hint that Tuanzebe could be recalled by United next month if they wish, though he again reiterated he does not want it to happen.
He added: "Most loans, to give you a hint, normally have a recall option. I don’t think it makes sense to loan any player out in this day and age, especially when you are going through a pandemic, to not have a recall option. We will see how that one pans out in the short term. We want to keep him."
