Aston Villa prepared to wait for new manager

Aston Villa chiefs today insisted the club are not in any rush to appoint a new manager with Roberto Martinez now back at the top of Randy Lerner's wish list.

The claret and blues missed out on Wigan boss Martinez last year when he was persuaded by Latics chairman Dave Whelan to turn down Villa.

Martinez has also been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool and reports yesterday claimed that he was in Boston for another round of talks with the Merseyside club's owners Fenway Sports Group. But it is understood that he is in fact still on holiday in Barbados.

The Spaniard will return from his break next week and Whelan has already pencilled in a meeting with Martinez where he expects the 38-year-old to reveal his desire to further his career elsewhere.

Privately Villa are likely to see how Liverpool's pursuit of Martinez plays out and, should he not end up at Anfield, the claret and blues will be in a strong position to make their move. Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner are, however, relaxed about the situation.

A Villa source said: "The club is getting on with the process of finding a new manager and this process has been very focused from the outset.

"The timeframe is not as important as getting the best man to be the manager. The club feels well positioned right now with a number- of candidates under consideration.

"We are conducting our own process independently of what anyone else may be doing."

Interest appears to have cooled in Norwich's Paul Lambert, who remains favourite with bookmakers while the odds have tumbled on former Villa assistant Gary McAllister.

Meanwhile, Villa keeper Shay Given will travel to London today to consult a specialist over a knee injury sustained during training with Ireland.

The 36-year-old has sat out two days of Euro 2012 preparations and will visit a doctor he has used before.

Given left training early on Monday morning and the decision to rest him for two or three days was taken as a precaution.

Republic boss Giovanni Trapattoni remains confident Given will be fit for the finals, but had already all but ruled him out of Saturday's friendly against Bosnia-Herzegovina.