Rangers manager Steven Gerrard 'open to Premier League return with Aston Villa'

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is reportedly open to a return to the Premier League, amid interest from Aston Villa.

The Villans are on the hunt for a new head coach following the departure of Dean Smith last week, with Gerrard believed to be one of the frontrunners for the vacancy at Villa Park.

According to Sky Sports News, Aston Villa will look to accelerate their efforts to appoint a new manager within the next 24 to 48 hours.

The report adds that Gerrard is 'open' to a return to the English top flight, six years after leaving Liverpool for LA Galaxy as a player, and would be interested in working with Villa CEO Christian Purslow, who worked closely with the former England midfielder when he was managing director at Anfield.

Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez is another potential candidate for the Villa hotseat, while Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand has ruled himself out of the running.

Since taking his first managerial role at Rangers in the summer of 2018, Gerrard has won 124 of his 192 games at the helm, and guided the Glaswegian giants to a historic 55th Scottish Premiership title last season.