Nigel Spink: Steve Bruce the ideal man for Aston Villa job

Bruce is edging closer to becoming Villa's next manager and reports over the weekend claimed the 55-year-old was ready to make European Cup-winning keeper Spink his goalkeeping coach.

But Spink, who has been out of the game since leaving Sunderland in 2012, claims he has not been contacted over any such role and admitted work commitments would likely lead to him rejecting the offer in any case.

Sources suggest only a dramatic turn of events can now prevent Bruce from being named Roberto Di Matteo's successor in the coming days.

Caretaker boss Steve Clarke is thought to have been formally interviewed for the post yesterday, while Villa are also thought to have sounded out both Burnley's Sean Dyche and Huddersfield's David Wagner since Di Matteo was dismissed last Monday.

But Bruce's record of four promotions from the Championship - and his current availability having left Hull in July - means he is expected to be the candidate recommended to owner Tony Xia by chief executive Keith Wyness and technical director Steve Round, who have headed up the club's search.

Spink, who worked as part of Bruce's backroom team at both Blues and Wigan and now runs his own courier service, said: "Steve would be ideal, his record speaks for itself.

"He got Blues up, took Wigan into the top half of the Premier League and kept Sunderland up.

"The owner has talked a lot about his ambitions and getting into the Champions League. We need to worry about competing in the Championship first. Steve is the man to do that."

Jordan Ayew is an injury doubt for Villa ahead of Saturday's derby with Wolves after returning home early from international duty.