Michael Beale, Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Aston Villa, is poised to become the new manager of Queens Park Rangers.
Gerrard has given Beale his blessing to leave Villa Park and take his first job as a number one with the Championship club.
Sky Sports News understands Villa were always aware of Beale’s desire to forge his own career as a manager when he and Gerrard were appointed in November.
QPR have been without a manager since Mark Warburton’s contract expired at the end of the season. The club were on the fringes of automatic promotion in February but won just three of their final 18 league matches to fall out of play-off contention and finish 11th.
Beale, 41, joined Gerrard and Gary McAllister at Rangers in 2018 before they led the club to a first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years.
Beale followed Gerrard to Aston Villa from Rangers last November
After ending his playing career at the age of 21, Beale began coaching at Chelsea’s academy, working with Tammy Abraham and Dominic Solanke during their rise through the club’s ranks.
He then took an offer to join Liverpool’s academy, starting with the U16s before becoming coach of the U23s where he first started to work alongside Gerrard, who was working with the U18s at the time.
In January 2017, Beale moved to Brazilian club Sao Paulo, learning Portuguese to be assistant to Rogerio Ceni but they were axed six months later.
Villa finished 14th in the Premier League this season after being in relegation danger when Gerrard was appointed.