Liverpool legend returns to the Premier League, Gerrard to lead Aston Villa

Aston Villa has a new coach. They will be Steven Gerrard, who will replace Dean Smith as manager, who was sacked at the weekend. The former Scottish Rangers manager has agreed a 3-year deal with the Villans, his arrival is expected to be officially announced later today.

Aston Villa’s previous coach was Dean Smith. The British coach has led the Birmingham team since October 2018. He helped the team to promotion to the Premier League, last season he led Aston Villa to the EFL Cup final and to the 11th place in the English top flight. However, the start of the current season has not gone well for the Villans. The club lost 5 games in a row and dropped to 16th place. Manager Smith was thus dismissed.

The club management found a replacement rather quickly. They had several candidates in their sights (Gerrard, Hasenhütl, Martínez). The biggest favourite was Steven Gerrard, with whom the club eventually came to a mutual agreement. Aston Villa will buy Gerrard from Rangers for around £3 million, the former Liverpool legend will sign a contract until 2024. Gerrard is expected to bring his coaching staff from his time at Rangers to Aston Villa.

Gerrard left a distinctive mark at Rangers

It will be a coaching debut for the Liverpool icon in the English league. His only engagement was coaching Scottish Rangers, whom he led since 2018. He has been very successful on the bench of the Scottish hegemon.

Last season, he won the dream title with the team, moreover, he did not lose once in the league. In the Europa League, he reached the eighth round with Rangers. The Scottish champions are already looking for a replacement for Gerrard. The main candidates for the new coach are Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Frank Lampard.

Aston Villa club icon Richard Dunne is also excited about the new Villans coach.

“The arrival of Gerrard is a very exciting moment. He doesn’t have much experience but he deserves huge credit for the job he did at Rangers.

“The way he conducts himself in terms of his professionalism is admirable. He’s been great since he arrived, he’s led this club really well. He’s won the league and has experience of European football, so I think Villa fans will be delighted with his involvement,” Dunne told Sky Sports.

Source: Twitter, Sky Sports