Aston Villa have seemingly been putting together a new manager shortlist despite Steven Gerrard remaining in the job, with a star name headlining it…

What’s the latest?

According to The Telegraph, NSWE are plotting an ambitious bid to replace the 42-year-old with Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine had previously been at Paris Saint-Germain, but since his sacking earlier in the year has remained a free agent.

Gerrard has two must-win games coming up, and should he fall short it is expected that they will pull the trigger on his Villa career.

It would take a monumental offer to tempt a man who has enjoyed Champions League football in his last two jobs to step down to their level, but if the offer is right it could mark a sensational coup for Villa.

He can get Villa Park rocking

To tempt a manager of Pochettino’s ilk to Villa Park would certainly get the crowd back on their side, after this rather dismal spell under the current regime.

The Villans currently sit 16th, just one point above the relegation zone.

However, the 50-year-old has a history of overtaking a rebuild of a club.

Although the Tottenham Hotspur side he inherited was a Europa League club, they were coming off the back of having wasted the vast majority of the £85.3m they received for Gareth Bale.

He also had the task of rewriting the narrative surrounding Spurs, fixing their soft underbelly that had led to such a trophy drought. Despite not quite ending that, his time in London has to be considered a success.

Not only did he take his side to the Champions League final during the 2018/19 season, narrowly losing to Liverpool, but he also finished second in the Premier League during the 2016/17 campaign.

Using limited funds, he sought out unknown talent and developed them into a sensational team that could finally challenge for trophies.

Some of his greatest success stories were discovering the likes of Dele Alli and Toby Alderweireld, with the former having never recaptured anything near to his form under him.

During that season when they nearly beat Manchester City to the title, he scored 18 and assisted nine in the Premier League. For an attacking midfielder, that return is nothing short of sensational.

A fine man manager, talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara labelled the manager “world-class” who should be lauded for his job in the English capital.

Having now earned plenty of experience across Europe, he could put that to use in what would be the toughest task of his career.

However, similar to how Carlo Ancelotti was at Everton, his pedigree would see him instantly revered and have Villa Park behind him all the way.