CHERRIES are “in talks” with Neil Critchley about joining the club’s coaching staff, according to a report by Football Insider.

Critchley is currently out of work, since leaving his role as assistant manager to Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa last month.

Prior to that, the 44-year-old had been manager of Championship side Blackpool.

He impressed during his time at Bloomfield Road, winning 45 of his 109 games in charge and helping the club clinch promotion out of League One.

Critchley decided the lure of a move to work in the Premier League was too strong, to link up with Gerrard.

Before joining Blackpool in 2020, Critchley, who retired as a player aged 24, worked as a coach at Liverpool. He twice took charge of their first team as a stand-in in the 2019-20 season.

The report claims Gary O’Neil is set to be named Cherries’ permanent boss in the coming days, following his stint as interim, and that he is keen to add Critchley to his backroom team.