Steven Gerrard high on Aston Villa list for manager role

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is high on Aston Villa’s list of potential targets to replace Dean Smith as head coach, BBC Sport says.

The Villa Park board are said to be impressed by Gerrard’s work at Rangers in what is his first managerial job.

Gerrard has long been seen as a future Liverpool boss, but Villa may be looking to bring him to the club.

Reports say the 41-year-old Englishman is also well known to Villa chief executive and ex-Reds managing director Christian Purslow.

But Gerrard isn’t the only name being considered for head coach, with the club determined to carry out a proper recruitment process during the international break to secure new manager.

Belgium coach Roberto Martinez and his Denmark counterpart Kasper Hjulmand, who led his country to the Euro 2020 semi-finals, are also of interest to the Villa hierarchy.