Ex-Aston Villa boss tipped to snub Rangers interest with move to Premier League side

A new report has suggested that former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard is now among the favourites for the vacant managerial position at Premier League strugglers Southampton – and that he could turn down former side Rangers in the process.

EFL Analysis claim via Graeme Bailey that Gerrard has “become a person of interest” for the Saints, who have been relegated back to the Championship after a dismal season in the top flight.

Gerrard is also “on Rangers’ list” to take over from caretaker manager Barry Ferguson this summer, having enjoyed a successful stint at Ibrox before he took up the manager’s post at Aston Villa.

Will Steven Gerrard be the next Southampton manager?

The report claims that both the 44-year-old Gerrard and his former England team-mate Frank Lampard, who currently manages Coventry City, are “on Southampton’s final shortlist” to take over from Ivan Juric.

Juric became the second Southampton manager to be sacked this season when he was relieved of his duties at St. Mary’s after the Saints’ relegation was confirmed following a defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. It is expected that Southampton will wait until the summer to make a new appointment in order to give the new broom a fresh start, or to make it easier to poach a manager from another team.

Lampard is currently battling for a play-off spot with Coventry and may not be available if the Sky Blues are promoted to the Premier League, but Gerrard is available after ending a spell as head coach of Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in January.

The two former midfielders are not the only names on the shortlist, however, with Bailey also adding that Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl is “pushing hard” to earn the job having been linked with the role since it became available.

Rangers also considering appointing Gerrard again

Gerrard’s former charges Rangers are also considering offering him his old job back, according to reports, as the Scottish side look for a permanent replacement for Philippe Clement, who was dismissed in February.

Former club captain Ferguson has taken charge on an interim basis but after winning just four of his first nine games as head coach of the Glasgow side, they seem likely to seek out a more experienced full-time candidate come the summer. Gerrard enjoyed a successful stint as Rangers manager, winning the Scottish Premier League in the 2020/21 season, before he was appointed to succeed Dean Smith at Villa Park in 2021.

After a promising start to his tenure as Villans’ head coach, however, results took a downward turn and he the former Liverpool captain was dismissed in October 2022, just under a year after he was first appointed. Since then, Gerrard’s only managerial job has been in Saudi Arabia, be he appears eager to return to work in the UK and restore the reputation he earned from his early work at Ibrox. With Southampton set to be among the stronger teams in the Championship in the 2025/26 season, they could prove too tempting an offer to turn down.

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