Steven Gerrard would be torn about whether to leave Rangers for Aston Villa, according to The Mirror's Chief Football Writer John Cross.

The lowdown

The 41-year-old has been identified as a potential replacement for Dean Smith, who was sacked over the weekend after a run of five straight defeats.

Villa are the second Premier League club with a managerial vacancy to run the rule over Gerrard this autumn, with Newcastle also said to be admirers.

His headline achievements in Scotland include an unbeaten romp to the 2020/21 Premeirship title - halting Celtic's run of nine in a row - and a run to the last 16 of the Europa League.

The latest

Cross wrote in The Mirror that it is 'far from certain' that Gerrard would walk away from Ibrox midway through the season. Indeed, he would face a 'major dilemma' as to whether to abandon his Rangers project at this stage and head for the English Midlands.

Villa have other options in mind if the ex-Liverpool captain proves to be unattainable, with Denmark boss Kasper Hjumland (who has close links with sporting director Johan Lange) among them.

The verdict

Many Rangers fans will surely be pleased to hear that Gerrard would be hesitant about leaving Ibrox. In a survey conducted last month, nearly 30% of supporters said he should already be considered a club great (via The Daily Record).

In that same survey, a full 79% of fans predicted that he would remain in charge for at least two more years, so hopefully he will indeed do so.

If Gerrard does receive an approach from Aston Villa, the question is whether he feels a responsibility to see out his task in Glasgow or whether the lure of managing in the Premier League would prove too inviting to turn down.

In other news, some Gers fans slammed this man's performance v Ross County