How Aston Villa could line up under Mauricio Pochettino with Dele Alli and Sanchez as ex-Tottenham manager is lined up

Pochettino may be more keen on the gig as he has been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.

He has been linked to Manchester United and Chelsea in recent months but a Prem return at Villa Park could appeal, particularly if he is given money to spend.

Villa have spent big in recent transfer windows and could allow Pochettino to add to a squad that has just two wins in 11 games.

With the team in a precarious position Poch could look to bring in tried-and-tested players he has worked with before.

And there are plenty of players he signed for former clubs PSG and Tottenham who are currently on the fringes and could be allowed to leave.

One such player is Lucas Moura, who flourished under Pochettino at Spurs.

The Brazilian’s hat-trick against Ajax sent Poch’s side to the Champions League final but he has struggled for game time under Antonio Conte and could be allowed to leave in January.

Dele Alli also fell out of favour at Tottenham and joined Everton in January before being shipped out on loan to Besiktas in the summer.

He has made seven appearances for the Turkish side but could be recalled by the Toffees if Villa came knocking.

Alli has struggled for form since he lost Pochettino as his manager but reuniting at Villa Park could be a perfect match for the pair once again.

Villa could try to seek loan moves for the duo if Pochettino looks to refresh his squad with pace and energy.

There are defensive issues as the team kept just two clean sheets in 11 games under Stevie G, and that could also be addressed in the January market.

If Pochettino arrives he could look to Tottenham centre-back Davinson Sanchez and his former team-mate Juan Foyth, who is now impressing at Villarreal after breaking into the Spurs team under Poch.

The 50-year-old also built a reputation at White Hart Lane for giving youngsters like Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Harry Winks a chance, so there could be more opportunities for the likes of Cameron Archer to impress.