Dean Smith will sign a two-and-half-year contract to become Norwich City’s manager on Saturday evening.

Terms were agreed verbally earlier on Saturday and all the legal necessities have been passed.

Norwich are likely to confirm the deal in the next 24 hours, and the club's bosses will stress that Smith was their first choice from the start of the process to identify Daniel Farke's replacement.

Farke was dismissed after Norwich beat Brentford 2-1 in their final game before the international break - their first Premier League win of the season.

Despite that success, they are bottom of the table with five points from their first 11 games.

Smith was dismissed just a day after Farke - a Friday night defeat to Southampton was Villa's fifth loss in a row and left them just two points above the drop zone.

Smith's overall record at Villa was excellent, having led them to promotion from the Championship via the play-offs in his first season at the helm, before Premier League finishes of 17th and 11th - plus a League Cup final appearance.

Smith and former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard were understood to be the main contenders to take charge at Norwich, but the latter withdrew from the running as he does not feel the job is right for him at this stage of his career.

Sky Sports News has been told that, even before Lampard withdrew, Norwich's bosses had been impressed by Smith's ideas for the squad.

He will begin the task of trying to guide Villa to safety when they host Southampton - his final opponents as Villa boss - on November 20.

 

Norwich City are expected to offer former Brentford & Aston Villa Manager Dean Smith the head coach job in the next few days. 

Negotiations have been ongoing for several days and Smith's representatives are now in advanced talks over the details of his contract.

Smith and former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard were understood to be in a two-horse race to take charge at Carrow Road, but the latter withdrew from the running as he does not feel the job is right for him at this stage of his career.

Sky Sports News has been told that, even before Lampard withdrew his interest, Norwich's bosses had been impressed by the vision and ethos of Smith's ideas for the squad.

Smith is still visiting family in New York, but talks have been ongoing with his agent and the 50-year-old is ready to fly back to sign a deal as soon as the final details can be agreed.

Norwich sacked former boss Daniel Farke just hours after they recorded their first Premier League win of the season, away to Brentford on November 6.

The Canaries are bottom of the table after collecting just five points from their first 11 games since returning to the top flight.

Former Norwich City manager  has become the new shock favourite to be the next Rangers manager – should Steven Gerrard’s expected move to Aston Villa be completed.

An announcement on Gers boss Gerrard’s future is expected in the next 48 hours.

Bookmakers Betfair have significantly shortened the odds for Alex Neil to take over from Gerrard in the Ibrox hotseat.

Both Neil and Derek McInnes have saw the most support in the past 24 hours since the market was put out.

Gary McAllister is sandwiched by the pair in the market but it is expected that he would join Gerrard at his former club.

Michael Beale is next but he has seen significant support in the past 24 hours for the Cardiff City job, with his odds slashed this morning.

Ex-Gers ace Giovanni van Bronckhorst is next, Gerrard’s ex-England pals John Terry and Frank Lampard weakening in the betting and now out to double figures.

Neil, 40, left Preston North End by mutual consent in March of this year and has spent some time with former team-mate David Artell at Crewe.

He led Norwich City to promotion to the Premier League and had come close to achieving the same with Preston during his time there.

Next Rangers manager odds:

Alex Neil 5/2

Gary McAllister 3/1

Derek McInnes 9/2

Michael Beale 6/1

Giovanni van Bronckhorst 15/2

Kjetil Knutsen 9/1

John Terry 11/1

Frank Lampard 14/1

Gerrard's move to Aston Villa is 'all but done', local reporters have claimed.

A move from Rangers to the Midlands appears to be only a matter of time as the Villains look to replace axed Dean Smith.

'FINALISING' Steven Gerrard to Aston Villa ‘all but done’ with announcement in 24-48 hours or SOONER

The Aston Villa correspondent from Birmingham Live, Ashley Preece says he expects an announcement soon.

He tweeted this lunchtime: "Steven Gerrard to Aston Villa all but done as he finalises his backroom staff.

"I'm expecting an announcement within the next 24 to 48 hours if not sooner.

"Christian Purslow set to get his man."

 

Norwich City have reportedly identified three ideal successors for Daniel Farke in the Carrow Road dugout.
Despite leading the Canaries to their first Premier League win of the season over Brentford last time out, Farke was relieved of his duties over the weekend.

According to Sky Sports News, Frank Lampard, Dean Smith and current Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl are now on a three-man shortlist for the manager's job at Carrow Road.

Lampard has been out of the game since being let go by Chelsea over the winter and is reportedly set for imminent talks with the Canaries, while Smith was another managerial casualty of the weekend after being sacked by Aston Villa.

Hasenhuttl, meanwhile, is under contract at Southampton until the summer of 2024, but he is understood to be 'hugely admired' by the powers-that-be at Norwich.

Frank Lampard is leading the race to become the new Norwich City manager after holding talks with the Premier League club, according to reports.

Daniel Farke was axed as head coach just hours after overseeing the Canaries’ first Premier League victory of the season at Brentford.

There were emotional scenes at the final whistle as fans, players and coaching staff celebrated the 2-1 battling win.

Football Insider now claim that they could turn to former Chelsea boss Lampard, who has been out of work since being sacked by the west London club last season.

It is understood that the former England international has ‘opened talks’ with Norwich about the vacant managerial position. He is now the clear favourite with the bookies.

A source at Norwich has told the website that ‘discussions are already underway with Lampard regarding him taking over’ with the former Derby boss ‘keen to become the new manager at Carrow Road’.

Lampard’s ‘managerial experience at both Premier League and Championship level is of particular interest to Norwich’ as they look for a manager who could handle all scenarios.

Announcing Farke’s departure from the club on Saturday, Norwich sporting director Stuart Webber told the club’s website: “In continuing to demand the very best for our football club, this decision was not an easy one.

Norwich’s sporting director Stuart Webber will spearhead the search for Daniel Farke’s replacement, after agreeing to commit his own future to the Premier League club according to reports in the Daily Telegraph today.

Webber will lead the recruitment process and has agreed to sign a new contract after talks with owners Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones.

His current deal runs out at the end of the season but he will extend his own spell at Norwich, in what will represent a boost for the club’s supporters who feared his departure.

Webber's influence at Norwich is significant and he has transformed the club since his appointment in April 2017, after previous spells with Liverpool, Wolves and Huddersfield.

Norwich do not have a new head coach lined up, but will seek a progressive, modern appointment who can work within the club’s infrastructure.

Russell Martin, a former Norwich player and the current Swansea head coach, could emerge as a possible contender though Webber is expected to also look at coaches operating outside England.

 

Frank Lampard has emerged as the favourite to become Daniel Farke's replacement at Norwich City after the German manager was sacked by the Canaries on Saturday.

The 45-year-old was relieved of his duties despite guiding Norwich to their first win of the Premier League season on Saturday via a 2-1 victory at fellow newly-promoted side Brentford. 

The result still leaves Norwich at the foot of England's top-flight on five points, level on points with Newcastle who are still without a victory this term following their 1-1 draw at Brighton. 

Lampard, 43, is still without a job following his sacking at Chelsea in January of this year, and the bookmakers have placed former Chelsea manager Lampard as the frontrunner for the Norwich job, with the Blues and England legend still unemployed after his Stamford Bridge sacking at the start of this year.

The 43-year-old was let go by Roman Abramovich in January with Chelsea ninth in the Premier League table, but is now deemed to be the frontrunner for the Norwich  at 11/2 after nearly a year away from the game. 

Meanwhile, Lampard's former England team-mate Steven Gerrard, currently at Scottish Premier League champions Rangers, is second favourite at 6/1, with former Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson on the same odds. 

Bournemouth boss Scott Parker is next favourite at 7/1 with former Dortmund manager Lucien Favre, who Sportsmail revealed was in the running for jobs at Crystal Palace and Newcastle earlier this year, further back at 15/2. 

Farke has left Carrow Road after four years in the role, which saw the German achieve two Premier League promotions with the Canaries but mustered just six top-flight wins in that time.  

Paying tribute to Farke in a statement last night, Norwich sporting director Stuart Webber said: 'In continuing to demand the very best for our club, this decision was not an easy one.

'I know how determined Daniel and his staff were to succeed at this level but we feel now is the right time for a change to give ourselves the best opportunity of retaining our Premier League status.

'All at Norwich City should be forever grateful to Daniel and his staff for the significant role they have played in our journey. They helped deliver two Championship titles, many memorable moments and they all fully bought into our philosophy and what it means to be part of this football club.

'Daniel and his staff will always be welcome back here. I'd like to thank them all for their hard work and wish them well for the future.' 

Rio Ferdinand, meanwhile, was adamant that Norwich made their decision to sack Farke before their match at Brentford, irrespective of how well the Canaries played in west London on Saturday.  

When asked if Farke would have known about his impending departure before the game, Ferdinand added: '100 per cent. Listen - at the end of the day, you can't sack a manager straight after a game (when) they've won the game.

'They're looking to do that, they're looking to build the season from some positivity. They get it, they get their first win of the season, and they sack him? 100 per cent done before the game.'

NEXT NORWICH MANAGER ODDS 

Frank Lampard 11/2

Steven Gerrard 6/1

Roy Hodgson 6/1

Scott Parker 7/1

Lucien Favre 15/2

Bruno Labbadia 17/2

Mark Robins 9/1

Michael O'Neill 9/1

Russell Martin 9/1

Chris Hughton 11/1

Sam Allardyce 11/1

Rafa Benitez 11/1

Gary Monk 11/1

Nuno Espirito Santo 13/1

Steve Bruce 13/1

Nathan Jones 11/1

Javi Gracia 19/1

John Terry 20/1

Xisco Munoz 20/1

Rudi Gracia 22/1

Darren Huckerby 25/1

Odds from Betfair

Frank Lampard is being linked with a return to Premier League management to replace Daniel Farke at Norwich City according to reports in at least one national media outlet this morning.

Former Derby County and Chelsea manager Lampard has been out of work since being sacked by the Blues on January 25, 2021. The former England midfielder had previously managed Championship side Derby County, whom he narrowly missed out on guiding to the Premier League in 2019.

Farke, 45, was sacked Saturday hours after finally guiding the Canaries to a first Premier League win of the season against Brentford.  The decision seemingly having been taken earlier in the week, but delayed so as to not interrupt preperation for the game.

Norwich are bottom of the Premier League on goal difference having only amassed five points from their first 11 matches.

The Canaries have lost eight of their 11 top-flight matches since winning the Championship with 97 points last season.

With the international break upon us, Norwich will look to install a new man before they return to action against Southampton on November 20.

Other names being linked with the vacant post include former England manager Roy Hodgson and ex-Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder.

Hodgson, 74, left his post as Crystal Palace manager over the summer after four years in which the Eagles became a permanent top-flight fixture.

Wilder, 54, guided Sheffield United to a ninth-place finish in the Premier League after successive promotions from League One and the Championship before leaving the Blades by mutual consent in March with the club bottom of the table after amassing only 14 points from 28 games.