Neil Lennon is one name who has not yet been included in the list of potential replacements for Steve Bruce at Villa Park.
Aston Villa are on the lookout for a new manager right now and the early bookies favourites are the likes of Dean Smith, Thierry Henry and former club captain John Terry.
The Mail, meanwhile, claims that super-agent Jorge Mendes has close links with Villa co-owner Naseef Sawiris and two of his clients are both potential candidates for the Midland club.
Paulo Fonseca would be a massive coup after turning Shakhtar Donetsk into one of the most exciting attacking teams anywhere in European football. Fellow Portuguese Carlos Carvalhal, meanwhile, has plenty of Championship experience having taken Sheffield Wednesday to the play-off final in 2016.
But the former Aston Villa striker Dean Saunders has put another name into the frame – Neil Lennon.
“(Lennon) is another one who will get results out of players who aren’t that good. He could be a good choice,” Saunders said, speaking on Alan Brazil’s Sports Breakfast on talkSPORT (4 October, 8.30am).
47-year-old Lennon is currently in charge of Hibernian and has done a terrific job at Easter Road. Since being appointed in 2016, the Northern Irishman has led Hibs to the Scottish Championship title before guiding them to an impressive fourth-placed finish last season.
Lennon also managed Bolton Wanderers in the Championship between 2014 and 2016 but left with the club bottom of the table, having been severely hamstrung by financial problems.
Saunders also spoke warmly of Dean Smith, who has done a fine job at Brentford and is known to be a big Villa fan.
“He’s doing brilliantly at Brentford. He plays a certain way; total football,” he added.
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