Aston Villa have received a boost in their pursuit of Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim.

The Telegraph says Villa have made progress in talks with Amorim over their vacant manager position, with the 'Sporting Lisbon boss now believed to be available for a £10 million release clause, rather than the £30m originally reported.'

The Villans find themselves in need of a new manager after sacking Steven Gerrard following a run of one win in nine games.

He was dismissed less than two hours after Thursday's 3-0 defeat at Fulham, with the club issuing a 41-word statement on their website, and had to travel back to Villa's training ground on the team coach, knowing his fate.

The manager's release clause is now much lower than previous estimates suggested, and the figure is 'unlikely to deter' Villa.

They also claim there are ongoing talks between Villa and the 37-year-old manager, who is believed to speak good English, but it is not yet apparent if he is keen on the move.