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Aston Villa are set to be taken over by a Chinese consortium within the next few days, paving the way for Damien Comolli to return to English football.

The Rui Kang Group are close to agreeing a £75million deal with owner Randy Lerner for the relegated Premier League side.

And the Chinese want Comolli to lead football operations as the Villans' technical director.

The 43-year-old, who has been out of the game since leaving his post as Liverpool's director of football in April 2012, would replace director of scouting and player recruitment Paddy Riley .

The Frenchman is experienced in this role and had already been director of football at Tottenham and French side St Etienne before being brought to Anfield by Fenway Sports Group in November 2010.

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Comolli was accused of wasting money on transfers at all three clubs but has defended his record, pointing to Tottenham and Liverpool signing Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez respectively while he was their director of football.

He has been studying Villa’s set-up in readiness for his appointment and will oversee an overhaul at the club following relegation this season.

Hong Kong-based Rui Kang are owned by the Chinese government and deal mainly in cosmetic and pharmaceutical products but are keen to diversify into football.

They tried to buy Villa last year, but Lerner pulled out of the deal when the Chinese Stock Market crashed.

Rui Kang have maintained their interest and have gone through due diligence on Villa’s accounts.

In pictures — Loss to Man United confirms Villa's long-inevitable relegation:

They have beaten off interest from a number of rival bidders, including Oracle founder Larry Ellison, to put themselves in pole position to complete a deal with Lerner.

Clubless former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson has stalled on taking the Villa job because of doubts over the future of Aitor Karanka at now-Premier League Middlesbrough - where the 52-year-old ended his playing career - and while the new ownership at Villa Park is finalised.