This isn’t the first time that the former Liverpool captain has been linked with a move to the Midlands. Back in April, sources suggested that Christian Purslow had a ‘strong interest’ in the 41-year-old.
Gerrard led Rangers to their first Scottish Premiership title since 2011 last season, and with Smith now sacked by the Villa board, the Liverpudlian appears to be one of the frontrunners for the vacant role.
He is under contract at Ibrox until 2024, but reports elsewhere have suggested that Villa would be willing to pay compensation for a new manager.
The Telegraph shared a story on Sunday evening suggesting that Gerrard and Southampton’s Ralph Hasenhuttl are under consideration.
The pair are thought to be high on the club’s wish list when it comes to a new manager, with Gerrard sharing the same agency as £80,000-per-week Villa defender Tyrone Mings.
Purslow knows Gerrard well from their days at Liverpool, and it seems as if Villa have been keeping a close eye on his time in Scotland.
Labelled as ‘magnificent’ by Sir Alex Ferguson for the job he’s done in Glasgow, the 41-year-old has averaged an impressive 2.15 points per game in his 192 matches in charge of Rangers. He also likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 system, a formation which could suit Villa’s big-money signings Danny Ings, Leon Bailey and Emiliano Buendia.
Villa want a new man in place before the Premier League resumes after the international break, so it’ll be interesting to see how the links to Gerrard play out. Based on his managerial career so far, he seems like a solid target from the Villa Park hierarchy.
