Former Lyon coach Remi Garde has emerged as the early frontrunner to succeed Tim Sherwood as Aston Villa boss.

The ex-Arsenal midfielder, who held talks with Newcastle United last season and reportedly turned down a recent approach from Sunderland, is available after leaving Lyon in 2014 to take a break for personal reasons.

He spent three years in charge at Lyon and led them to the French Cup in 2012, having previously won the Premier League in 1998 as a player with the Gunners.

Garde is odds-on favourite with bookmakers, while former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson, Brendan Rodgers, available after leaving Liverpool, and David Moyes, currently in charge at Real Sociedad, have also been backed.

One stumbling block for Garde according to French sports daily L'Equipe could be getting the backroom staff he wants.

Garde would be keen to bring Bruno Genesio and Gerald Baticle from Lyon to join him, but both men are still employed at the French club.

Villa sacked Sherwood on Sunday after they plummeted to the bottom of the Premier League on the back of six straight defeats.

Sherwood lasted just eight months into a three-and-a-half-year deal and his sacking followed Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Swansea.