The Barclays Premier League club are searching for a new manager to guide them next season after Gerard Houllier's departure last week.
In the frame: Steve McClaren is set to discuss the vacant Aston Villa manager's position with the club's owner Randy Lerner
The Frenchman was forced to stand down due to health concerns and former Fulham boss Mark Hughes was immediately linked with the post.
However Hughes' agent Kia Joorabchian insisted the Welshman's departure from Craven Cottage was purely coincidental and that there had been no approach from the midlands outfit.
Axed Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti also ruled himself out of contention for the vacancy after the Italian revealed he intends to take a one-year sabbatical from coaching so he can study methods of other managers at clubs across Europe.
Shake on it: McClaren is desperate for a route back to English football to test himself against the likes of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger
McClaren - infamously dubbed the 'wally with the brolly' after he failed to guide England to Euro 2008 - has been out of work since he was sacked by German side Wolfsburg in February after a miserable nine months at the helm.
But the former Middlesbrough boss, who lead Dutch outfit twente to their first-ever domestic title in 2010, is keen to return to English football.
On the shortlist: Wigan's Roberto Martinez and Everton's David Moyes are also attracting attention from Villa
The 50-year-old denied links to taking over at relegated West Ham before Sam Allardyce's appointment but an opportunity to rebuild his reputation on home soil would be too difficult to resist should Villa opt to hire him.
Villa Park chief Lerner will fly in from America later this week and is keen on meeting McClaren, who heads a shortlist which also includes Everton boss David Moyes and Wigan manager Roberto Martinez.
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Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail