Aston Villa reportedly hold an interest in appointing Burnley head coach Vincent Kompany as their next manager.
Last week, the Villa hierarchy made the decision to part ways with Steven Gerrard immediately after the 3-0 defeat at Fulham.
While a search for his permanent replacement is underway, caretaker boss Aaron Danks instigated an unforeseen change of fortunes against Brentford three days on from the disappointment of Craven Cottage.
Despite having netted twice in a Premier League fixture on just one occasion all season, Villa scored three times in the opening 14 minutes, eventually prevailing by a 4-0 scoreline to move clear of the relegation zone.
Although Danks is now earning rave reviews, an outside appointment is more likely with Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim and Villarreal's Unai Emery said to be under consideration.
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However, according to Football Insider, Kompany has emerged as a surprise contender for the vacant position at the West Midlands outfit.
The Manchester City legend only moved to Burnley in June after enduring a mixed stint in his first managerial role at former club Anderlecht.
Nevertheless, the Belgian's reputation has been enhanced considerably after putting together a 13-match unbeaten streak in the Championship.
The Clarets have collected a total of 29 points from 16 games, that return enough for the North West outfit to sit in third spot and one point adrift of leaders Queens Park Ragers.
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While there is no suggestion that the 36-year-old would be prepared to cut short the project that he has started at Turf Moor, it appears that he has gained admirers in the Villa boardroom.
The report claims that 'preliminary talks' are expected to take place later this week, the suggestion being that discussions will also be held with other candidates.
Burnley play host to Norwich City on Tuesday evening and Kompany is currently fully focused on attempting to strengthen his team's position in the second-tier standings.
When Kompany initially accepted the job at Burnley, he said: "To make a long answer short, I've chosen this project because I know that after a difficult start will come an incredible future."
An official contract length for Kompany has never been officially disclosed, but it was reported to be until at least 2026.
