SIMON JORDAN has claimed that Aston Villa could pull the plug on a possible deal to make Steven Gerrard their new manager.

Gerrard is the bookies' favourite for the role after Dean Smith was sacked over the weekend.

Gerrard is now as short as 2-7 (from 1-2) with bookmaker Coral to be confirmed as the next permanent Aston Villa manager after reports suggest an official approach will be made for the Rangers boss today. 

“I’ve just got a sneaky suspicion that this will be a little bit of puffer stuff and he won’t end up at Villa,” Jordan said on talkSPORT. “I’ve got a sneaky suspicion there’s a lot less in this than we think there is.”

Host Jim White later said: “It’s our understanding that this is now moving, that Aston Villa will seek permission from Rangers to get access to speak to Steven Gerrard with a view to getting him down to Birmingham to appointing him as their next manager.

“But Simon, you still think the final twist in the tail will be that he stays at Rangers?"