It’s understandable that Premier League clubs will need to act quickly this summer in the transfer market as they won’t have much of a break to make their moves.
That will also involve making some tough decisions, but this report from Portugal would be astonishing if it’s true.
We are only hours removed from Dean Smith leading Aston Villa to safety in the Premier League with a draw against West Ham, but Portuguese outlet O Jogo are claiming he will be replaced.
It’s suggested that former Benfica boss Bruno Lage is close to an agreement which would see him take over at Villa next season.
READ MORE: Video: Brilliant goal from Jack Grealish keeps Aston Villa in the Premier League
This could go one of two ways, but the timing would be particularly shocking if this does happen.
Southampton showed that replacing a decent manager like Nigel Adkins with Maurcio Pochettino can be an excellent move, but this would be a massive risk from Villa.
The gap between the Championship and the Premier League is bigger than ever, so merely surviving your first season after promotion is a big deal, and Smith surely deserves a chance to build on that.
Lage was recently sacked by Benfica for failing to win the title in Portugal, and this would definitely be a controversial move if it comes true.
It’s interesting to note that a report has since emerged which appears to rubbish these suggestions:
Absolute rubbish. Dean will be manager next season and there should be no debate now
— John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) July 26, 2020