Dean Smith is likely to be linked with raiding former club Aston Villa as he looks to bolster his Norwich City squad, according to Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

Smith was appointed as the Canaries' new head coach on Monday, meaning he is back in management after just eight days.

What's the latest news involving Smith?

It has been a whirlwind period for Smith after he was sacked by boyhood club Aston Villa earlier this month.

His dismissal came after a worrying loss of form had seen the Midlands club suffer five defeats on the bounce.

However, the 50-year-old was quickly added to Norwich's three-man shortlist of candidates - which also included Frank Lampard and Ralph Hasenhuttl - to replace Daniel Farke in the Carrow Road hot seat.

Farke had been sacked by Norwich less than 24 hours before Smith was shown the door by Villa and Canaries sporting director Stuart Webber was put in charge of the club's managerial hunt after committing his own future to the club by agreeing to sign a new contract.

Smith is understood to have impressed the Norfolk club's hierarchy when he was interviewed and he moved into the driving seat when Lampard pulled out of the running last week.

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What has Luke Hatfield said about Smith?

Smith, who also managed Brentford and Walsall before he moved into the Villa hot seat, has been appointed as Farke's successor with Norwich in serious danger of suffering an immediate return to the Championship following their promotion last season.

However, the January transfer window will give the new man in charge an opportunity to bolster his squad ahead of a push for survival.

Hatfield believes it is only natural for there to be speculation that Smith will return to Villa Park to sign players he previously managed.

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He told GIVEMESPORT: "It's always the case when a manager comes from one club and goes to another.

"I'm sure there will be links with Villa players to Norwich now that Dean Smith has joined up there."

Have Norwich already been linked with Aston Villa players?

It has been reported that Smith is plotting a reunion with midfielder Conor Hourihane when the window reopens at the turn of the year.

Hourihane moved to Aston Villa when Steve Bruce was still in charge of the Midlands club, but he went on to feature 74 times under Smith, scoring on 15 occasions and adding a further 14 assists.

The 30-year-old also played a key role during Villa's play-off campaign as Smith led them to promotion back to the Premier League in 2019.

Hourihane is currently on loan with Championship side Sheffield United but he has not been a regular starter at Bramall Lane.

Read More - January Transfer Window 2022: When does it open, when does it close and which players are going to move?