Aston Villa talking to Ruben Amorim over vacant managers job – David Ornstein
Aston Villa are talking to Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim about taking over at Villa Park after sacking Steven Gerrard, according to David Ornstein.
The former England captain was sacked less than two hours after a 3-0 defeat to Fulham on Thursday night, bringing an end to his tenure that lasted a year with the club outside the relegation zone of the Premier League on goal difference.
But after initially approaching Mauricio Pochettino and being turned down by the Argentine, the club have now turned their attentions to Portuguese boss Amorim.
Amorim won the Portuguese title with Sporting in 2021, ending a near two-decade drought for the club and has made a name for himself by using the academy system at the club heavily.
Thomas Tuchel and Thomas Frank are also unlikely to take over, while Sean Dyche has also been linked with the vacancy.
Impressive
Amorim has been a hugely impressive young manager in Portugal and the club have shone in the UEFA Champions League under him too, despite a thumping at the hands of Manchester City last season.
He is still young, but he likes to play expansive, attacking football and has gained a reputation for a tactical mind that has seen him able to compete at the highest level.
Villa’s owners are keen to make a statement with the next appointment, as they want to start pushing towards European football after this horror show of a year.
Amorim would be a great appointment and a real coup after taking him away from a Champions League club, but whether or not he’d be interested in making the jump from Europe’s elite to a struggling club in England is yet to be seen.
There are other candidates so there is no guarantee he gets offered the job anyway, but it certainly seems as though Amorim is heading the list of candidates.
In other Aston Villa news, Lucas Digne could return to fitness for the clash with Newcastle this month