Thierry Henry has been strongly linked with the manager’s job at Monaco with under-fire boss Leonardo Jardim on the brink of an exit, according to reports in France.

Henry, who is currently working as Belgium assistant manager alongside boss Roberto Martinez, is the favourite to replace Jardim, whose Monaco side are 18th in the Ligue 1 standings with only one league win from nine games.

L’Equipe reports that the former France international, who has also been linked with Sky Bet Championship side Aston Villa in recent days, is Monaco’s first choice.

The former Arsenal star is understood to have impressed the Villa hierarchy at interview.

Monaco have not won since the opening day of the season in any competition and Sunday’s loss at home to Rennes extended their consecutive defeats to four games.

Henry was reportedly set to take his first step in management at Ligue 1 club Bordeaux this summer but that never materialised.

He left his lucrative job as a pundit on Sky Sports at the end of last season amid plans to become a manager after earning his stripes at former club Arsenal and, more recently, with Belgium as assistant to Martinez.