Tim Sherwood has emerged as a contender to become Derby County's head coach next season.

The Championship club are searching for Paul Clement's long-term replacement and sounded out the former Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa manager.

Derby are understood to have reservations about Nigel Pearson, while Brendan Rodgers, David Moyes and Gary Rowett were previously considered candidates for the job at Pride Park.

Former Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood could go to Derby County in the summer

Sherwood is ready to return to football after leaving Villa Park in October, having been sacked by the Barclays Premier League's bottom club.

The 47-year-old wants greater influence at his next club, with Sportsmail told he felt he was limited at Spurs and Villa.

Harry Redknapp agreed to become the director of football at Derby until the end of the season this month and is to even have a say in team selection alongside Darren Wassell.

Wassell was promoted from academy director to first team coach after Clement's exit in February and will likely return to his former role in the summer.

Sherwood played for Redknapp at Portsmouth in 2003 and, five years later, he joined Tottenham as assistant first team coach under his former manager from Fratton Park.

Derby sit fifth in the Championship and are pushing for promotion to the Premier League.

Harry Redknapp was appointed Derby's new director of football after holding talks with the club

Redknapp hasn't been involved in football management since he resigned as manager of QPR in 2015