5 potential managers for Aston Villa 

#1: Dean Smith

Dean Smith has done an excellent job at Brentford

Dean Smith's Brentford are currently flying high in 6th place in the Championship, and while they may have only won one more game than Aston Villa so far this season, they have achieved that with a much tighter budget.

Smith arrived at Brentford back in 2015 and has since taken the club to consecutive top half finishes since his arrival.

Smith's Brentford team have been labelled as the most entertaining side in the Championship thanks to their dynamic attacking football, and excitement is something Villa fans have been desperate to see for some time now.

While he may not be as glamorous as some of the other names on this list, Smith has proved that he is an incredibly capable manager at this level and that he deserves a chance to show what he can do at a bigger club.

There is the possibility that Brentford won't allow their manager to leave, of course, but given the money that Villa have at their disposal, that issue will be easily overcome.