Steven Gerrard is open to a return to the Premier League, with the Rangers manager on Aston Villa’s shortlist of candidates to replace Dean Smith.
Villa are continuing their search for a new manager after sacking Smith on Sunday, and they are considering other candidates.
The club expect to accelerate their efforts to secure a new manager in the next 24 to 48 hours.
More to follow….
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Merson Says: Gerrard or Lampard for Villa
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Paul Merson says the opportunity to manage Aston Villa in the Premier League could prove too difficult for Steven Gerrard to turn down and insists Frank Lampard should also be in the mix to succeed Dean Smith.
“It’s going to be hard to prise Steven Gerrard away, he’s managing a massive club in Glasgow Rangers,” Merson told Sky Sports News.
“He’s got them buzzing again; he stopped Celtic winning 10 in a row, they are in the Europa League, and they’ve got a chance of winning the Scottish Premiership.
“It’s a bit of a juggling act for Gerrard because Celtic look as though they are coming back now. They’ve got the new manager in; they’ve bought into his ideas and they are moving up the table.
“There is no forgone conclusion in the Scottish title race this year and, given the nature of football, if Celtic went on and won it this year everything from the year before is almost forgotten.
“Everyone wants to manage in the Premier League. That is no disrespect to the Scottish Premiership. Rangers and Celtic are bigger clubs that probably half of the teams in the Premier League.
“But it’s the Premier League, and when you start out managing, I’m sure in the back of people’s minds if you could get a job like Aston Villa – wow.”
Merson believes Gerrard’s former England team-mate Lampard has to also be under consideration for the vacant manager’s position at Villa Park.
Lampard has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in January but Merson believes his proven track record of developing youth makes him an ideal candidate.
“I think you have to put Frank Lampard’s name in the hat as well,” Merson said. “He’s managed Chelsea, where he did a great job in steadying the ship at the time.
“If you look at all the kids who have come through at Chelsea since, and then look at Aston Villa’s academy, it’s very good as well.
“On Friday night, Dean Smith had five or six players from the academy in the squad for what was his final game. I would like to see a Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard get the job.”
Gerrard open to PL return amid Villa interest
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