Next Aston Villa manager: Roberto Di Matteo named bookmakers' favourite to replace Remi Garde after takeover

Di Matteo has been contacted about becoming the next Aston Villa manager

Roberto Di Matteo has leapt to the top of the bookmakers’ odds to be the next Aston Villa manager after a £60m takeover deal was agreed with Chinese businessman Tony Xia, with the former Chelsea boss already approached with an offer to replace Remi Garde.

Since Garde left the doomed Premier League club – who will play in the Championship next season after relegation – in March, caretaker manager Eric Black has overseen the first team having been unable to keep them in the top flight.

Nigel Pearson was the early running favourite to take the job in a bid to repeat his feat with Leicester City and gain promotion to the Premier League, but Di Matteo has surged to the top of the charts and his appointment is said to be expected within the next week.

Since winning the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012, Di Matteo has been careful in taking on new jobs with a season-long stint at German side Schalke his only role of note in the last three years.

According to widespread reports though, Di Matteo is ready to return to English football, albeit in the second tier as he looks to try and gain promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

That said, Di Matteo’s appointment has only been reported and has not been confirmed, so who else could be in the running to take the job should the Italian have a change of heart?

Click on the gallery above to see a selection of likely and unlikely candidates to be the next Aston Villa manager.