Mark Hughes' contract has expired at Fulham - but his next destination is not certain to be Villa Park - with Chelsea emerging as a shock alternative.All the smart money was on Hughes becoming Randy Lerner's third manager in less than 12-months - when his deal with Fulham ran out at the start of June.
But with Guus Hiddink still not certain to accept the post vacated by Carlo Ancelotti, Stamford Bridge has become a potential next move for the 47-year-old Welshman.
As a former player, Hughes has an affinity with the club and it is thought Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has made tentative enquiries about Hughes, should Hiddink reject a return.
What is certain is that Hughes is a free agent again, after his contract deadline at Craven Cottage passed without him signing a new deal.
The terms of his previous contract allowed for a holiday period between June and July in 2011 and that clause has kicked in, so he is technically no longer manager at the London club.
Fulham officials have been working frantically in the last few weeks to try to persuade Hughes to sign a new two-year extension, after his impressive first season at the club.
Aston Villa owner Lerner has been aware of the contract issue for several weeks and identified Hughes as his preferred choice, while the negotiations over Gerard Houllier's severance pay were concluded.
With the legal wranglings completed and Houllier's £2.5 million pay-off concluded, Villa are free to move for Hughes and would not have to pay any compensation.
Lerner has been a long-time admirer of Hughes and narrowly missed the opportunity to appoint him last season, following the shock departure of Martin O'Neill.
O'Neill quit five days before the Premier League kick-off, by which time Hughes had signed a deal with Mohammed Al-Fayed. Despite that, Villa still considered an approach until they backed out and opted for Houllier.
Fulham issued Villa with a polite warning to steer clear of Hughes, but that appears futile now as does any plan to try to offer him improved terms on the two-year deal he refused to sign.
This is not about cash for Hughes. It is about kudos and the chance to operate at the top of his profession with a high profile club. He remains angered by the way he was treated at Manchester City and is desperate to prove a point to the owners at Eastlands.
Finishing eighth in the Premier League and taking Fulham into the Europa League, via the Fair Play rankings is a start, but he wants to make a far bigger statement.
Whether that will be at Stamford Bridge or Villa Park remains to be seen.
