Swansea City head coach Russell Martin is a leading contender to replace Steven Gerrard at Rangers when his move to Aston Villa goes through, according to The Mirror.

Talks between the Premier League side and the Scottish champions have accelerated and it is believed that the Liverpool legend will be confirmed as Dean Smith's replacement in the Midlands within the next 48 hours.

Sitting top of the Premiership table by four points from their Glasgow rivals Celtic, the Gers need to secure a replacement quickly and per John Cross they have identified Martin as the man they want to bring to Ibrox.

 

 

 

 

Martin had a loan spell as a player at the club when a Norwich City man in 2018 and it is believed that the club have already made enquiries into the 35-year-old's availability.

The 29-cap Scotland international only made the move to Swansea back in August, replacing Steve Cooper following his pre-season departure.

Before his switch to South Wales, Martin was the head coach of MK Dons where he was coveted for his possession-style of play which is already reaping rewards at the Liberty Stadium, with the Swans four of their last six matches.

The Verdict

Martin's style of play is the main reason why he will be attracting attention but it seems far too soon for him to jump ship.

He has only been in the role at Swansea for three months and there's signs there that he's building something very good indeed.

But will Rangers be able to turn his head? Of course he is a former player at Ibrox and they pull in bigger crowds than the Championship and they can also offer regular European football.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out but I am expecting Swansea to stand firm and reject any approaches for their leading man.