The Daily Mail has claimed that Steven Gerrard is Aston Villa’s first choice to replace Dean Smith as manager.
A formal approach is expected this week, crucially the Mail claims that Gerrard would be interested in listening to the proposal.
Villa sacked Dean Smith at lunchtime on Sunday following their Friday night defeat away to Southampton, their fifth successive defeat in the EPL.
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Discussions about a successor would have ran in tandem with sacking Smith, Villa’s CEO Christian Purslow spent time at Liverpool a decade ago when Gerrard was at his playing peak.
In the main UK edition of the Daily Mail Tom Collomosse reports:
Aston Villa will make a formal approach to Rangers to speak to Steven Gerrard this week and are determined to make him their next manager.
Though Roberto Martinez is also on a shortlist to succeed Dean Smith, who was sacked on Sunday, Gerrard is Villa’s No 1 target and they want him in place for the home game against Brighton on November 20.
Owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens and chief executive Christian Purslow have been impressed by the job Gerrard has done at Ibrox, where he won the Scottish Premiership title last season, breaking Celtic’s sequence of nine in a row.
The former Liverpool and England captain is under contract at Rangers until 2024 and has shown impressive loyalty to the club since he became their manager in May 2018 — his first role as a boss after working with Liverpool’s age-group teams.
If Villa are granted permission to speak to him and can agree compensation with Rangers, it is thought Gerrard would be interested in listening to the proposal.
If Villa make a request to speak to Gerrard only the incredible niaive would believe that there had been no third party contact before making the approach.
No questions were asked to Gerrard about the Villa job following his side’s 4-2 win over Ross County on Sunday. Gerrard’s wife and kids have remained on Merseyside since he took on the manager’s job at Ibrox.
1 trophy in nine ???? and he’s Villas no1 choice you couldnae make this stuff up HH
My mate who is based in the Midlands and is a football agent text me stevvee gee is off double wages and a good transfer pot providing the rangers 2012 get 20 mil for his transfer to the villa ???? Let’s see if he even is considered.