Aston Villa are reportedly deciding between appointing Steve Bruce or Steve Clarke.
Ex-Hull City manager Steve Bruce
According to The Sun, Aston Villa could have Steve Bruce in charge before taking on Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend – but Steve Clarke is still in the running for the job.
Villa chose to sack manager Roberto Di Matteo on Monday after just 12 competitive games in charge of the club, in which the Italian won just once.
Former Hull manager Steve Bruce
Following a 2-0 defeat away at Preston North End last weekend, Di Matteo was sacked after just 124 days in charge – and owner Tony Xia must now find a new boss.
Xia took to Twitter on Friday afternoon to tell fans that his search is down to just two candidates – and a new report appears to have named those two contenders.
Roberto Di Matteo and assistant manager Steve Clarke
The Sun claim that Steve Bruce is leading the way, and could even be appointed in time for the derby clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend.
Bruce, 55, is currently out of work having left Hull City over the summer, and having won four promotions to the Premier League in his managerial career, he fits the bill perfectly for Villa.
Former Reading manager Steve Clarke
However, his ties to Villa’s fierce rivals Birmingham City – whom he both played for and managed – could mean that Xia looks elsewhere, and caretaker boss Steve Clarke appears to be in contention too.
The report claims that Scottish boss Clarke is offering stern competition for the job, with his down-to-earth approach impressing many decision makers at Villa Park as Xia nears a decision.
Would you rather have Bruce or Clarke in charge of Villa?
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