Aston Villa 'want to make Steven Gerrard next boss from Rangers and looking to pay less than £3m compensation'

ASTON VILLA are reportedly hoping to make Steven Gerrard their new manager by paying less than £3million compensation.

The Villans sacked Dean Smith on Sunday after a fifth straight defeat and are hoping to appoint a replacement as quickly as possible.

The Daily Record had stated 'that Ibrox bosses had been placed on a 48 hour red alert' as the Premier League club are preparing to make an official approach for the 41-year-old Liverpool legend.

Now they claim Villa's move could come TODAY after 'a series of frantic negotiations behind the scenes' over the past 24 hours.

Villa chief executive Christian Purslow, who previously worked with Gerrard at Anfield, has been engaged in a 'period of intense back channelling and extensive background checks' since axing Smith.

He allegedly now has all of the 'comfort he needs to assure Villa’s billionaire owners that Gerrard and his coaching staff will be willing to make the move south' as long as an agreement can be reached between the two clubs.

Gerrard still has over two years left on his Rangers contract but Villa believe a compensation package between £2m and £3m will trigger a release clause that will allow them to open negotiations with the ex-England midfielder.

It is still unknown whether that figure would need to be increased should Gerrard's No.2 Gary McAllister and his coaching staff also go with him.

Purslow also has several other names on his shortlist should he fail to get his 'outstanding candidate' in.

Brighton boss Graham Potter and Southampton’s Ralph Hasenhuttl are both believed to be on it.

Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand has already publicly ruled himself out of the running.

Gerrard took charge of Rangers, his first job in management, in April 2018 and he guided the Gers to the Scottish Premiership title last season – ending Celtic's nine-year dominance.

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