Negotiations for the Liverpool legend's return to the Premier League is apparently underway.

Aston Villa are reportedly closing in on Steven Gerrard following the dismissal of manager Dean Smith on Sunday. The 41 years old Rangers manager has emerged as the frontrunner for the role, with a report on Wednesday morning stating that he has expressed his desire to make a return to the Premier League for a managerial spell.

Since retiring from playing in 2016, Steven Gerrard's stock as a coach has risen exponentially owning to the level of success he has attained with Scottish giants Rangers. He started his career by going on a 12-game unbeaten streak in all competitions before falling to Celtic in his first Old Firm derby. Last season, the former Liverpool skipper led the Light Blues in a record-breaking campaign that saw them clinch the league title for the first time in ten years and without losing a single match in the competition.

Having turned down the an opportunity to manage Newcastle United  after the departure of Rafael Benitez in the 2019/2020 season, many reports from the UK suggested that the Merseyside-born ex-England international was patiently waiting for the opportunity to become Jurgen Klopp's successor presents itself in the future. However, the stance of the former Reds midfielder has seemingly changed with a report by Sky Sport indicating that he is open to returning to the Premier League as soon as possible despite his Rangers side sitting atop the Scottish League after 13 matches.

The Daily Record claim Aston Villa 'are on the brink' of landing Gerrard as he is supposedly their number one target. A discussions are currently ongoing, with a deal is expected to be completed in the coming days. Meanwhile, The Guardian has also added to the speculation and have stated that that Villa will approach Rangers in the next 48 hours for permission to speak to Gerrard. In Scotland, there are claims that the move could be finalised on Wednesday after 'frantic negotiations' behind the scenes.