Steve Bruce confirms Aston Villa talks and says ‘it would be a terrific job’

Steve Bruce believes managing Aston Villa would be “a terrific job” and hopes to hear if he will be appointed this week.

The former Birmingham City and Hull City manager has held initial discussions with Villa and is now considered the leading contender for the position along with the current caretaker manager, Steve Clarke.

“I’ve had a chat with them. That’s as far as it’s gone,” Bruce told Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday programme. “They did say they’re in a process, which you have to respect. I’m hoping that I hear something this week. It would be a terrific job.

“I’m sure everybody would agree that it’s one of the big clubs of this country. It needs a little bit of turning round at the moment, but they’ve got a huge support and it’s a big, big club. Let’s hope I hear something.”

Bruce spent almost six years at Villa’s city rivals Birmingham and has been out of work since leaving Hull in July.

Villa, who play Wolves on Saturday, are looking for a new manager after sacking Roberto Di Matteo, just 12 games into his reign, following a poor start to the season.

Villa, relegated from the Premier League last season, are currently 19th in the Championship.

Another favourite for the job, David Wagner, appears to be out of the reckoning after his chairman at Huddersfield Town, Dean Hoyle, suggested he would not be leaving the West Yorkshire club.

Clarke, the former West Bromwich Albion manager who joined the coaching staff in the summer, is also thought to be in contention, having impressed the club with how the players have responded to him.