‘He would’: Ornstein says manager Chelsea reportedly want would be open to succeeding Gerrard at Aston Villa

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Mauricio Pochettino would be open to taking over from Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa, according to journalist David Ornstein.

Speaking on the Overlap Review, Ornstein said that the project on offer at Villa Park would be something the Argentine would consider.

The same journalist has reported in the Athletic that Chelsea have made an approach for Pochettino after sacking Thomas Tuchel.

That could mean that Pochettino is off the market while Gerrard remains in situ, and Gary Neville said that he would not take the Villa job anyway.

Pochettino to Villa discussed

Here is how the exchange between Ornstein and Neville went…

Ornstein: “From what I hear when I speak to the people who know make these decisions and know how these mechanics work in football, they’re saying this international break could be quite telling for a number of Premier League managers. Aston Villa and Steven Gerrard – it’s not going right for them at the moment.

“He’s got credit in the bank. He was an appointment of Christian Purslow. But look at the bare facts, it didn’t end well last season and it’s not started well this season. With their trajectory, with that international break, with the ambition of the owners, you do pay attention to that situation and realise if it gets much worse, questions need to be asked.”

Neville: “Pochettino would only want to go to a top six club. He’s not going to go below that, is he?”
Ornstein: “I think he would consider it for the right project.”

Neville: “Mauricio Pochettino’s not going to go to Aston Villa, I don’t feel. Having had Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain, his aspirations would be higher than Villa. He’ll have to wait for Newcastle or a top six club to become available. Do you genuinely believe he will?”

Ornstein: “The Villa owners are just as ambitious as any of those clubs and they’ve got the history as a European Cup winner. I don’t think somebody like Mauricio Pochettino – I’m not trying to link him to the job – would discount Villa.”

It might be premature to even talk about Pochettino at Villa while Gerrard remains in the post and he got a very impressive result against Manchester City last time out.

The next move for Pochettino is huge. He was patient after leaving Spurs and took a job with PSG which offered Champions League football, superstars and trophies but not the power he craves.

At Southampton and Spurs, he built a side up and that might be where his skills really lie and the Villa job could be ideal for him on that score.

But there are plenty of moving parts, not least that interest from Stamford Bridge, despite his Tottenham connections.