Aston Villa are reportedly set to suffer a blow as assistant coach Michael Beale is expected to leave the club this summer to become QPR manager.
Beale was part of Steven Gerrard’s backroom staff during his successful stint at Rangers, and it was a key part of his move to Villa last year that he was able to bring his team with him.
READ MORE: Why Diego Carlos is a superb signing for Villa
Ahead of his first pre-season and full campaign in charge at Villa Park, Gerrard will undoubtedly have hoped to call on his trusted backroom team, but unfortunately it looks as though a key member could be about to move on.
As reported by the Express and Star, Beale is said to be poised to take the job at QPR, with the Championship club looking to announce an appointment by the end of the week.
That will be a setback for Villa and Gerrard, as Beale is widely regarded as a fundamental piece of the coaching staff, and he can be regularly seen working through things with the Villa boss on the touchline during games.
Time will tell if he does indeed move on firstly, and if so, who Gerrard moves to bring in to replace him. With the likes of Gary McAllister by his side still coupled with individuals who were kept on after Dean Smith’s exit, it’s an interesting decision for the Villa boss as he will want to have that solid group around him to get the best out of the squad at his disposal.
That said, he has spoken publicly on several occasions about not wanting to stand in the way of his backroom staff if they wish to move on to a big opportunity, and so should Beale accept an offer from QPR, Villa will begin a search for a replacement to fill that void.