Ex-Liverpool academy coach, Michael Beale is being linked with the Aston Villa job after the sacking of former Reds captain Steven Gerrard.

Earlier this week QPR boss Beale turned down the chance to take over at Wolves after they parted ways with Bruno Lage earlier this season. Now with his former boss, Gerrard being relieved of his duties at Villa Park, Beale is seeing himself once again being linked with another high-profile job.

Beale, who took over at Loftus Road in the summer has become hot property in recent weeks after leading QPR to the top spot in the Championship whilst playing an attractive brand of football in his first season as a manager.

The Kent native started his professional coaching career working at Chelsea academy with the junior teams and was one of the coaches that oversaw England striker Tammy Abrahams’s development.

When former Red’s manager, Brendan Rodgers took over at Anfield one of the first things he did was bring in Beale as assistant manager for the U-21s, a position he kept until 2017. He then left to be the assistant manager at Sao Paulo, getting sacked after six months in the job.

Beale returned from South America and went straight into a job as Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard’s, number two. This is when the QPR boss’ career took off as he became a close ally of Steven Gerrard, who took him to Rangers and Aston Villa as his right-hand man.

After returning from South America, Beale returned to Liverpool as Gerrard’s number two with the U-18s. Gerrard then took him to Rangers and Villa as his right-hand man.

The former Rangers assistant said earlier this week to reassure Hoops fans “this is where my only focus is right now.”