After winning the league in Scotland with the Glasgow Rangers, Steven Gerrard appears to be on his way to joining the English Premier League with a move to Aston Villa looking more certain by the day.
The AVFC managerial job has been vacant since Dean Smith was sacked on Sunday following a modest start to the season and a series of five consecutive defeats. Gerrard is believed to have been Villa’s preferred option to replace Smith from the beginning, despite rumors linking Belgium national team coach Roberto Martinez to the job.
Owners Nassef Sawiris, Wes Edens, and CEO Christian Purslow announced they would like to find a replacement by next week before the Premier League action returns after the international break. The Villa hierarchy insisted they were checking out multiple candidates.
Now, sources inside the club expect Gerrard to be confirmed by the weekend. Negotiations held since Monday went in the desired direction and the Rangers are expected to receive a compensation package for Gerrard and his backroom staff members. Rangers’ first-team coach Michael Beale and the manager’s assistant, Gary McAllister, are also expected to join Gerrard in his new challenge.
Smith could find himself with a new team as well by the end of the international window. Norwich has him and Frank Lampard as the top candidates to replace Daniel Farke, who was shown the door over the past weekend.
Gerrard at -1000 to be appointed Villa manager
The former England midfielder became the Glasgow Rangers’ manager in June 2018. Gerrard was given time to build a champion club and managed to bring the Scottish Premier League title back to Ibrox Park in 2021 following a 10-year-long wait.
The Glasgow giants are leading the Premier League table this season with 30 points from 13 games, four more than arch-rivals Celtic which sits in second place.
Gerrard, 41, hung up his boots in 2016, playing his final season in the MLS with the LA Galaxy. He started coaching in Liverpool’s Academy in 2017. A legend at Anfield Road, Gerrard spent 26 years with Liverpool as both a youth and senior team player.
He is regarded as a long-term replacement for Jurgen Klopp. Until that happens, Gerrard is at -1000 to be appointed Aston Villa’s manager, with the next four in line – Roberto Martinez, Frank Lampard, Paulo Fonseca, and John Terry all at +1100.