Eric Ramsay has left Manchester United to join Minnesota United and become the youngest head coach in Major League Soccer history.

The 32-year-old Welshman, who was a first-team coach under Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, is the latest British coach to cross the Atlantic, joining the likes of Phil Neville and Dean Smith.

In a statement issued by Minnesota United, Ramsay said: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining a club with such a strong football culture, a fanatic fan-base and a brilliant infrastructure.

“I’ve spoken to a lot of the club’s staff throughout the process and you can’t help but feel everyone’s passion for moving the club forward.”

Ramsay joined Manchester United as a coach under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021 and also served as an assistant coach to the Welsh national team in 2023.

He started his career working with junior levels at Swansea and also acted as interim head coach at his home-town club Shrewsbury before moving to work with the Chelsea Under-23s.

Ramsay became the youngest British coach to earn his UEFA Pro Licence in 2019.

Minnesota’s Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad said: “After an extensive search that included dozens of impressive domestic and international candidates, we are confident that Eric Ramsay is the best choice to lead our club.

“His experience working with top-level players, coaches, and sporting staff at both the club and international level – as well as his alignment in playing style and development philosophy – all fit with the vision we have for the future of MNUFC.”

Dean Smith wants to defy the doubters after rejecting opportunities to coach in the Championship to start a new chapter with ambitious Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC.

The 52-year-old returned to management in December, having just fallen short in his attempt to keep Leicester up during a short spell in the hot seat at the end of last season.

Smith takes charge of his first competitive match since the Foxes’ final Premier League game when Charlotte host New York City FC in their MLS opener this weekend.

The former Aston Villa boss beat England great Frank Lampard to the job and more than 60,000 will be at Bank of America Stadium for his first game in the dugout.

“I’d spoken to a few clubs in the UK, mainly Championship clubs,” Smith told the PA news agency.

“None of them felt quite right for me, so it was all about what the next opportunity was going to be.

“When this came about and I got asked if I wanted to join in the process, I just thought it’d be a challenge, it’d be exciting.

“It would get the juices flowing again, so to speak, because it’s something that I’ve not done before, never been out of the UK to coach and I thought it’d be really good challenge.”

 

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Smith joins a club entering their third MLS season, with former Premier League players Ashley Westwood and Scott Arfield among those in Charlotte’s squad.

Leicester fan favourite Christian Fuchs serves as one of his assistants, having retired in North Carolina and joined the coaching staff after skippering the team during their first campaign.

Smith joins them in Charlotte with a determination to help the team grow and improve on last season’s wildcard defeat at the start of the MLS play-offs.

“I think one of my drivers has always been to prove people wrong and try and get to that next level all the time,” the former Norwich, Brentford and Walsall manager said.

“I was fortunate enough to coach Brentford and build a team that Thomas (Frank) eventually took over and ended up getting into the Premier League.

“But also taking Aston Villa to the Premier League, I’m really proud of that because in 2010, 2011, I was coaching at Walsall, the under-14s, and my daughter was sitting on the side of the pitch doing her homework.

“So, you know, it’s been hard work to get where I am.”

Smith’s determination brings hope to Charlotte, who still have room to sprinkle stardust on their side by signing a marquee player over the coming months.

Put to Smith that Jack Grealish, his skipper at Villa, could do with a few starts right now, he laughed and said: “Yeah, I still speak to Jack very regularly.

“He’s just coming back from an injury. But he’s not done bad already at Manchester City and he’ll continue to do so, and England in the Euros.

“But, yes, we’re looking to add some quality into the squad. When I looked at the squad during this process, I just felt that there were areas that we could improve on.”

Boss Dean Smith admits Leicester are ‘in the last chance saloon’ in their bid to ensure Premier League survival.

The Foxes go to Newcastle on Monday three points from safety with two games left.

Everton’s 1-1 draw at Wolves on Saturday means the fight for survival will go to the final day, regardless of the result at St James’ Park.

Victory will take the Foxes out of the drop zone and above the Toffees on goal difference and Smith is aware of the magnitude of the game.

“We are pretty much in the last chance saloon with a game against Newcastle,” he said, with the Foxes hosting West Ham on the last day on Sunday.

“Disappointment and frustration are the two words I’d say I’ve seen. But we are running out of games to put that right and the players know that.

“When I came in here for the last eight games, if someone had said to me ‘If you win at home the last game of the season (to survive), would you take it?’ I probably would have.

“Hopefully we can get there but we have to get a performance and a result against Newcastle.

“There are things we’ve looked at, things we’ve done. When there is no pressure on the ball, you don’t push up like we did for the first goal against Liverpool.

“There’s an awful lot we’ve done in the classroom in terms of video analysis and we’ve done some stuff on the pitch as well.

“I’ve always said to the players that mistakes are going to happen, from both teams. People are going to make mistakes and you need a helping hand from your team-mate once you make that mistake.

“We probably haven’t been in the positions to help each other out as much as we would like.”

The Magpies need a point to wrap up Champions League qualification while Leicester know two wins from their final two games will seal survival, barring a huge goal difference swing in Everton’s favour.

Smith added: “It’s just a big game. We know what’s at the end of it. I don’t think there’s anyone here who’s not aware of that so our focus is to go there and put in as good a performance as we can.”

Dean Smith defended his under-fire Leicester players as they fight for their Premier League lives.

The Foxes go to Newcastle on Monday knowing their top-flight future hangs in the balance as they sit two points from safety with two games left.

If Everton win at Wolves and Nottingham Forest avoid defeat against Arsenal over the weekend Leicester will need to win at St James’ Park or they will go down.

The squad – with one win in their last 14 games – has been accused of lacking fight in their relegation battle but Smith has given them his support.

“I don’t need to pay homage to the players, I’ve inherited a squad and not brought any of them in,” said the boss, who saw the Foxes limply lose 3-0 to Liverpool on Monday.

“I can openly criticise them if I need to, I don’t think I need to and I choose not to because the work ethic I see is there.

“The numbers I get from my performance department prove to me it’s there. The thing which is missing is keeping clean sheets and making fewer mistakes in the defensive third.

“It’s out of our hands because if other teams get the results there’s nothing we can do. We just have to concentrate on Newcastle and get the win.

“If we get the performance we are capable of and minimise mistakes, not a problem.

“We are in a position we don’t want to be in. Our job is to get out of it. Our job hasn’t changed from eight games (when he came in) to two games.

“If you look at it realistically it was going to be tough to get points from Manchester City and Liverpool. Other games we would have expected to get points.”

Kelechi Iheanacho (groin) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (ankle) are expected to resume training on Saturday after missing the Liverpool defeat while Caglar Soyuncu (hamstring) and Danny Ward (dislocated finger) remain out.

It is a fourth straight Monday game – meaning Leicester will know all the results before they play – but Smith insisted other scorelines will not impact his approach.

He added: “We’re preparing for Newcastle now, I don’t want to suddenly change tactics with what we’ve been working on for four or five days.”

Leicester boss Dean Smith knows that his side’s superior goal difference could be key in the Premier League relegation battle.

The Foxes are level on points with both Nottingham Forest and Leeds going into this weekend’s round of fixtures, but lie in 16th owing to their better record.

In a six-team tussle to stay up, which also includes Southampton, Everton and West Ham, Smith knows how crucial it could be.

“We can only take one game at a time and see where that leaves us, the draw against Everton we would like to have had a win and so would Everton, but it moved us up the table two places such is our goal difference,” Smith said ahead of Monday’s visit to Fulham.

“It probably gives us a head start on the rest of the teams down there. But we have to have a better performance than we did Monday defensively and if we do that we can go and get a result.”

The Foxes are currently on a run of playing on three successive Mondays, which has left Smith, who is on a short-term SOS mission to keep the Foxes up, playing catch-up.

“I am not enjoying the weekends because all I am doing is coaching and watching the results come in,” he said. “I would much rather be playing ourselves and watching other results after that.

“It’s all consuming, but we knew it would be, seven weeks, eight games, but we are really enjoying it and we believe we are getting a response from the players.”

Leicester boss Dean Smith hopes Jamie Vardy can fire his side to Premier League safety after the veteran’s recent revival.

Vardy has scored in the last two games to help move the Foxes out of the bottom three having previously gone 19 games without a goal.

Smith, who is on a short-term SOS mission at the King Power Stadium to keep Leicester up, says the 36-year-old is “firing” ahead of the crunch run-in.

“People will have seen in his last few performances the hunger and desire he has got, the work rate, the fact his legs are still there and his brains are definitely still there,” Smith said ahead of Monday’s trip to Fulham.

“We are really pleased that he is back scoring goals for us. He has got his first away goal at Leeds and his first home one on Monday (against Everton), we are really pleased he is in a good place at the moment.

“He knows as well as anyone as a striker with his record he will be judged on goals. He probably hasn’t had the pitch time to earn the goals or chances but he has created a penalty for us against Wolves. He has come on and scored against Leeds and scored a goal on Monday.

“He is in a good vein of form at the moment, which is what we need with only four games to go.

“I don’t think we have had to rebuild his confidence, we have had to play more to his strengths. We know he is an intelligent player with his runs, but he needs the ball to go into the right areas with his runs.

“We have to have a supply line to him and he has to make the runs as well.”

Leicester could have Ricardo Pereira back after a hamstring injury, while there is also good news over Kelechi Iheancho (groin) and Jonny Evans (virus).

“Ricky Pereira has been training with us, he has only been doing part of the session,” Smith said.

“He will be training with us on Saturday and Sunday so that will be a boost to the squad to have him.

“Ricky is due to train with us on Saturday. He part trained yesterday and if he came through Saturday, I am sure he would put himself forward for selection on Monday.

“Kels has responded to the treatment so won’t be back for Monday, but we may get him back for the last two games which we weren’t hopeful of when he first sustained the injury.

“Jonny is back training. He has trained the last couple of days and trained really well, so it is nice to get that experienced head around.

“Even just to have him on the training ground, there is so much the other lads can pick up from him with his knowledge and his experience. It’s great to have him back.”

Leicester boss Dean Smith sees similarities between James Maddison and Jack Grealish as the Foxes midfielder looks to emulate the former Aston Villa man’s relegation-fighting heroics.

Smith’s side are just a point from the Premier League safety line ahead of Monday’s crucial visit of Everton, who head into the encounter one point and one place worse off.

They know just a draw will lift them out of the bottom three on goal difference after Nottingham Forest’s late 2-1 defeat at Brentford on Saturday.

Manchester City’s Grealish played a key role in Villa’s escape from relegation under Smith in 2019-20 – they survived after being four points from safety with three games left – and Smith sees the similarities with Maddison.

“I think they are different types of players but similar characters, in all honesty. Both know that they’ve got ability and both want to push themselves to become the best,” he said.

“I think, when you’ve got players that have that personality and character, they push you as coaches and you want to go and help them become better players. James seems to have that as well.

“He’s always looking to see what he can do better. He’s really engaging in the meetings we have and tactical meetings and very vocal as well. I can see that similarity (with Grealish) of wanting to push himself.

“He wants to talk tactics with you, and football. He’s a football nut, a bit like Jack was as well.”

Maddison, linked with Newcastle, has a year left on his contract while eight players – including Youri Tielemans and Jonny Evans – have deals which expire this summer.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding their futures, though, Smith believes the squad remain committed to the survival fight.

“I’m getting that feeling from all the players,” he said. “They’re all in and they’ve committed to the football club, whether their contract is up at the end of the season or not.

“I’ve already said before, that I don’t know how many are up or who isn’t. I can just see a buy-in from what they’re doing in training and what they’re saying in the meetings.

“Contracts are not my department. My remit is to come in and keep the team in the Premier League, so that’s what I’m focused on.”

James Maddison knows Leicester City's meeting with Everton could be a defining moment in the battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League, describing the six-pointer as "massive".

Leicester and Everton are both in the relegation zone ahead of Monday's clash at the King Power Stadium, separated by just one point as they desperately scrap for survival.

The Foxes have experienced something of an upturn since Dean Smith took charge, beating Wolves and rescuing a 1-1 draw against fellow strugglers Leeds United in their last two games.

With just five matches remaining for the Foxes to save their season, Maddison hopes Smith's impact will prove decisive.

"It's definitely given us a lift," Maddison said of Smith's arrival. "When you have a new manager, it's a new voice, new messages and so everyone's on it.

"There has been a real uplift in confidence and belief and hopefully that will leave us in good stead so we can produce another positive performance and result against Everton.

"We're all fighting and battling for Premier League safety. We all know their manager and what type of characteristics he has, he'll be looking for a reaction and getting them going. 

"Make no mistake about it, this is a massive game – there's no point in dressing it up as anything else."

Everton are growing desperate following Thursday's dismal 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United, with the Toffees still to face Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City in a difficult run-in. 

Though the Toffees are winless in six games, Sean Dyche still believes in their survival prospects – though he accepts they need to improve quickly.

"I think we can do it," he said. "It is about us. 

"We have to correct the mistakes we have made in the last few weeks. We can all talk the talk, but it is about walking the walk."

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Leicester City – Jamie Vardy

Vardy ended his 20-game Premier League goal drought last time out, netting a crucial equaliser against Leicester's fellow relegation candidates Leeds.

Having scored six goals in his first nine league games against Everton, Vardy has failed to net in his last four against them. If he can end that run on Monday, it could prove crucial in their battle to survive.

Everton – Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton are winless in their last 12 Premier League away games (D5 L7), failing to score on nine separate occasions during that run.

Having endured another injury-hit campaign, Calvert-Lewin last found the net in a Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace in October. Dyche's men need him to find form in the coming weeks.

 

MATCH PREDICTION – LEICESTER CITY WIN

Having won on their last two Premier League trips to Leicester, Everton are looking to post three successive away wins against the Foxes for the first time in their history.

However, a run of 12 Premier League away games without a win has done nothing to alleviate the Toffees' relegation fears. Since beating Brighton in August 2021, they have won just two of their 33 away league matches (D10 L21).

Leicester boss Smith, meanwhile, has won four and lost none of his six previous Premier League meetings with Everton, winning three of his four at home against the Toffees.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY 

Leicester City - 52.1 per cent

Everton - 21.4 per cent

Draw - 26.5 per cent

Leicester City have confirmed Dean Smith as the club's new manager on a short-term deal through to the end of the season.

The Englishman, who was previously in charge of Aston Villa and Norwich City, arrives at the King Power Stadium as an interim successor to Brendan Rodgers.

With the Foxes mired in a Premier League relegation battle, his job will be to ensure their top-flight survival with just eight games left to play.

Smith will be joined by his former Villa assistant John Terry and fellow ex-Canaries coach Craig Shakespeare, who previously served as manager himself with Leicester following Claudio Ranieri's exit in 2017.

"I'm really happy to have the opportunity to lead the team during these final weeks of the season," Smith told the club's website.

"The challenge in front of us is clear, but it's one myself and my coaching team have experienced before and, with the quality in this squad and the number of games remaining, it's very much achievable."

Leicester parted ways with Rodgers, their second-longest serving manager of the Premier League era, after he failed to turn around results, leaving them one place from bottom in the Premier League.

The Northern Irishman led the club to FA Cup and Community Shield success during his time in charge, as well as consecutive European finishes in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Smith, meanwhile, was sacked at Norwich last December following a disappointing start to their first season back in the Championship.

The Foxes next play title-chasing Manchester City on Saturday, before they return home to host Wolves in what is likely to be a crucial game for their survival a week later.

City have 25 points from 30 matches, but just five points separate themselves and West Ham in 14th in a congested bottom half.

Ralf Rangnick has earmarked improving the defence at Manchester United as the main priority for success at Old Trafford.

The former RB Leipzig head coach has overseen two games since his arrival in Manchester, winning his first against Crystal Palace – becoming the first of six German managers to win their opening Premier League game – before a 1-1 draw against Young Boys.

While Rangnick fielded a youthful side against the Swiss team, United have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five home group-stage matches – their longest run in the Champions League.

United also went 15 consecutive home matches without a clean sheet, their longest run without a shutout since a 21-game spell between 1958 and 1959, before keeping Palace at bay in the 1-0 win last Sunday.

That poor period of defensive form has left them 11 points off the early pace of leaders Manchester City and Rangnick explained that he is prioritising finding a solution to be more resolute at the back.

"So far, I'm more than happy with their attitude again and their eagerness to learn information that will help them get better, not only against the ball but also with the ball," Rangnick told Sky Sports on Friday.

"We had only two clean sheets until the Crystal Palace game and no clean sheets since last April at Old Trafford, it was very clear for me where our focus should be for the first few days and weeks.

"With this group of players we can produce more clean sheets regularly, we are making sure we don't concede goals or even allow them to shoot on our goal.

"The more we do that, the more I am convinced that we can win games because with this group and players we are always going to create chances and opportunities to score ourselves."

United travel to Norwich City on Saturday in Rangnick's first away Premier League fixture, with none of the last four permanent Red Devils managers losing their maiden such game since Alex Ferguson in 1986.

New Norwich head coach Dean Smith is looking to become the first manager since Andy Aitken in 1908-09 to defeat United with two different clubs in a single season, having already tasted victory with former club Aston Villa.

But Smith has revealed the club are waiting anxiously on coronavirus tests for a couple of players ahead of the game at Carrow Road.

"We have got a couple of knocks and have got a couple of Covid-related issues that we are waiting on results for," said Smith.

"I can't really let you in on any names, but there's a couple of players who we are worried about, so we have tested and we will wait for the PCR results.

"They are just feeling a little bit unwell, but it is not likely to be linked to the game last week with Tottenham."

Ralf Rangnick has been in contact with the injured Paul Pogba as he continues to get to know his Manchester United players and instil his methods.

Rangnick defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 in his first game in charge last Sunday, becoming the first of six German managers to win their opening game in the Premier League.

A youthful United side, which featured six teenagers for just the fifth time in Champions League history, were then held to a 1-1 draw by Young Boys at Old Trafford and the Red Devils now prepare to visit Norwich City on Saturday.

They will do so, however, without Pogba – who is currently in Dubai in an attempt to recover from a thigh injury – but Rangnick explained he has spoken to the France international as he continues to outline his plans with the squad.

"We spoke over the phone two days ago or on Tuesday," Rangnick told reporters at Friday's news conference. 

"He was still in Dubai, he's expected to come back today and we will get to know each other in person on Sunday. We had a telephone call for around 10 or 15 minutes and he told me he was getting better. 

"Obviously, he still isn't fully fit and from what I've heard it will take another couple of weeks until he's fit for training again. He has been out for quite some time so it will take another couple of weeks to get him match fit."

Rangnick faces his first away game in the Premier League against Norwich, with none of the last four permanent United managers losing their first league game on the road since Alex Ferguson in November 1986.

However, Norwich head coach Dean Smith has already beaten United this term with Aston Villa.

He is aiming to become the first manager since Andy Aitken in 1908-09 to beat United with two different clubs in the same top-flight season.

Rangnick, though, has been satisfied with his side's work ethic so far as he looks to build on a pleasing showing against Palace.

"In the first instance, it was about getting to know the players," he added. "We did quite a lot of video footage with them in order to tell them how we want to play. 

"As we all saw, they did well in that game. Not everything was perfect, but quite a few things worked out well. We were always on the front foot, we had control of the game. 

"Now it's about taking the next steps. What we showed against Crystal Palace was good. We didn't allow them to score or give them too many opportunities.

"[Norwich] have improved since the change of managers. They play a little bit more direct, a little bit more vertical than they did with Daniel Farke, so it will be a challenge to play at Carrow Road.

"But we want to improve our performance, we want to build on what we showed against Crystal Palace and hopefully get the next win tomorrow."

Norwich City have appointed Dean Smith as their new head coach on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

He replaces Daniel Farke, who was sacked by the Canaries after the recent 2-1 win at Brentford, their only victory of the season so far.

Smith was dismissed by Aston Villa on the same weekend, but the 50-year-old was not out of work for long as he has now been tasked with getting the Carrow Road club off the bottom of the Premier League table.

Smith's first game in charge will be at home to Southampton on November 20, the same opponents he faced in his last game at Villa, a 1-0 defeat at St Mary's. It will be the eighth time a manager has faced the same opposition back-to-back in the Premier League with two different clubs.

While at Villa Park, Smith achieved promotion from the Championship in his first season, reached the EFL Cup final and kept the club in the Premier League on the last day in 2019-20, before finishing 11th in the top flight last term.

However, the former Walsall and Brentford boss has lost almost half of the 87 games he has managed in the Premier League (43), with 28 wins and 16 draws. 

Excluding play-off matches, Smith's record in the Championship has seen him win 69 of his 166 games as manager (D45 L52).

Real Madrid are trying to offload a pair of veterans to Tottenham. 

Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale could be on the way out at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

Spurs are reportedly only interested in one of them.

 

TOP STORY – SPURS WEIGH BALE REUNION

Gareth Bale could be headed for a permanent return to Tottenham, El Nacional reports. 

Real Madrid have offered Bale and Eden Hazard to Spurs but head coach Antonio Conte is not interested in his former Chelsea player. 

However, Spurs may pounce for Bale at a reduced price before he is out of contract following the season.

 

ROUND-UP

Manchester United are interested in adding France defender Jules Kounde to replace Harry Maguire, says Todofichajes, which reports Sevilla will demand €80million (£68m) in return. 

Donny van de Beek wants out at United, according to the Metro, and Birmingham Live says Wolves will make a strong push to sign the Dutch midfielder, with Everton and Newcastle United also rumoured suitors.

- Fiorentina are willing to sell Dusan Vlahovic in January if an interested club like Manchester City or Tottenham will pay £70m for the Serbia international, says the Sun. Vlahovic has also been linked with Bayern MunichAtletico Madrid, Juventus, Inter and Arsenal.

Milan have joined Chelsea and Atletico in pursuit of 17-year-old Angers striker Mohamed-Ali Cho, according to L'Equipe. 

Barcelona will extend 17-year-old Spain sensation Gavi's contract for five years, reports Fabrizio Romano. 

Dean Smith's appointment at Norwich City is expected to become official Monday, says The Guardian. 

Raheem Sterling's future at Manchester City remains unclear.

The England winger has only made three Premier League starts this season.

Sterling, who starred during England's run to the Euro 2020 final, could now be on the move.

 

TOP STORY – BARCA RESOLUTE ON RAHEEM

Barcelona are determined to sign Raheem Sterling from Manchester City despite the Premier League club's refusal to let him leave, reports Manchester Evening News.

The Catalans want to bring Sterling to Camp Nou in January on a loan deal, with the forward open to a move after losing his regular starting spot at City.

Sterling still has 18 months remaining on his City contract and the English champions have no intention of accepting an offer for him.

 

ROUND-UP

Manchester City are set to launch a new bid for Tottenham forward Harry Kane in January, claims ESPN. City pursued Kane over the off-season but the Spurs skipper ultimately remained in London after Tottenham declined their approaches.

- El Nacional reports Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has told the club to sell or release Gareth Bale. The Wales forward has only made three appearances this term and is contracted to Los Blancos only until the end of the season.

Hakim Ziyech is unhappy at Chelsea and could be lured to Borussia Dortmund, claims The Mirror. The Morocco winger could move in January, having been unable to re-discover his best form at Chelsea after moving from Ajax in 2020.

Norwich City are set to offer ex-Aston Villa boss Dean Smith their vacant manager role, according to Sky Sports. Smith was sacked as Villa coach this week.

- The Daily Record claims former Feyenoord coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst will hold talks with Rangers about taking over as manager after Steven Gerrard's departure for Villa.

Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard should be in strong contention to replace Dean Smith at Aston Villa, according to former midfielder Paul Merson.

After suffering a fifth straight defeat by going down 1-0 to Southampton on Friday, Smith became the fifth Premier League manager to lose his job this season.

The former Brentford boss spent three years at Villa Park, guiding his boyhood club back into the Premier League at the first attempt before establishing their top-flight status with a creditable 11th-place finish last term.

However, the 50-year-old ultimately paid the price after the Southampton defeat left Villa just two points and two places above the relegation zone.

Merson, who spent four years at the club between 1998 and 2002, sympathised with Smith and believes his impressive work warranted the opportunity to turn their fortunes around.

But the former Arsenal man has urged his old club to consider replacing Smith with either Lampard and Gerrard.

While Merson acknowledges it would be difficult to persuade Gerrard, who guided Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title last season, he feels the lure of the Premier League would be tough to turn down.

Merson told Sky Sports: "I would like to see a Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard get the job.

"It's going to be hard to prise Steven away, he's managing a massive club in Rangers.

"He's got them buzzing again; he stopped Celtic winning 10 in a row, they are in the Europa League, and they've got a chance of winning the Scottish Premiership.

"Everyone wants to manage in the Premier League; that is no disrespect to the Scottish Premiership. Rangers and Celtic are bigger clubs than probably half of the teams in the Premier League.

"But it's the Premier League, and when you start out managing, I'm sure in the back of people's minds if you could get a job like Aston Villa – wow."

Merson also highlighted the credentials of former Chelsea boss Lampard who, though restricted by financial sanctions imposed on the club, guided the Blues to the 2020 FA Cup final and Champions League qualification.

The 43-year-old, who previously steered Derby County to the Championship play-off final, also regularly gave youth the opportunity to shine at Stamford Bridge, the likes of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Reece James all stepping up to the plate. 

Merson feels that quality would certainly complement the scenario at Villa.

"I think you have to put Frank's name in the hat as well," he added. 

"He's managed Chelsea, where he did a great job in steadying the ship at the time.

"If you look at all the kids who have come through at Chelsea since, and then look at Aston Villa's academy, it's very good as well.

"On Friday night, Dean Smith had five or six players from the academy in the squad for what was his final game."

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