Aston Villa have reportedly targeted an exciting young European coach as their next manager…

What’s the latest?

According to The Telegraph, sporting director Johan Lange has already begun talks with Ruben Amorim to bring him from Sporting CP to Villa Park.

The report claimed that despite a big offer having been tabled, Mauricio Pochettino remains unlikely to join due to his aspirations being set at a much higher level.

The Portuguese boss is said to be willing to listen to the club’s offers, but he does have a big buy-out clause in his current contract.

It would be a smart appointment

Instantly, it is worth noting that with the vast wealth of the Villans owners, there will be few financial hurdles they cannot overcome to get who they want.

The fact that Amorim seems initially receptive to their interest should instantly outline him as an outstanding candidate, as he clearly would like to join the club despite what he has built at Sporting.

Having earned his managerial start at Braga, it only took 13 matches for one of the giants within the league to snap him up.

He only lost two of those games, both of which were to Rangers on their route to the Europa League final. The 37-year-old boasted 2.38 points per match.

Once he had moved to Lisbon, he began setting about a new identity that the club had been sorely lacking. Despite a fourth-placed finish in his debut year, the foundations were in place for the success that was to come.

During the 2020/21 campaign, the club’s faith paid off, as Amorim returned their first league title in 19 years.

He was crazy about his 3-4-3 system which had the ability to revert to a diamond in midfield. This would benefit a Villa side that Steven Gerrard often switched between a narrow 4-3-1-2 formation and 4-3-3, which caused confusion. Finally, it could bear fruit.

Having featured in Europe and won numerous pieces of silverware, the exciting young manager shows a clear identity and a track record for developing a struggling squad into something really special.

It is a move that The Athletic journalist Jack Collins thinks would be a “smart appointment”.

With a Villa side inundated with talent that has lost its way, perhaps Amorim could be the man to turn it around and get them where they will feel they belong.