Brentford boss Dean Smith is emerging as favourite for the Aston Villa job.

The Mirror says Villa are closing in on Dean Smith as their new boss and want him to work with Chelsea icon John Terry to re-ignite their fading promotion hopes.

Villa have been hit by both Thierry Henry and Jose Mourinho's old No.2 Rui Faria snubbing them.

But Villa's hierarchy are confident former skipper Terry will come back to the club as a coach after playing for them last term.

They now want Brentford boss Smith, a lifelong Villa fan, to work above Terry as boss at the 15th-placed Championship club.

Terry, who retired from playing earlier this week, has told his ex-team-mates he expects to be back at Villa next week ahead of Swansea's visit.