Remi Garde: Aston Villa boss '100%' committed to club despite Lyon link

Remi Garde played 146 times for Lyon and won two French titles as head coach

Aston Villa manager Remi Garde has refused to be drawn on reports linking him with a return to former club Lyon.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas is reportedly keen on having the 49-year-old back in France next season.

But Garde insisted he is fully committed to rock-bottom Villa's attempts to stay in the Premier League.

"I'm 100% focused on Aston Villa. The situation is difficult enough not to comment on speculation," he told BBC WM 95.6.

Former Arsenal midfielder Garde was a player and head coach with Lyon and, in an interview published in the Daily Express, Aulas described him as "a child of the club".

"If he called tomorrow, it would help me a lot," he added.

Villa are eight points adrift at the foot of the table, but Garde does not think his time at the club will harm his profile in the game when it is time to move on.

"I'm not working and living only for my reputation - I'm not living for the past, I'm living for the future," he said.

Making the impossible possible

Garde, who has been critical of his players since he replaced Tim Sherwood in November, has won only three of his 19 Premier League games in charge.

Despite having only eight games left, he does not accept that relegation is a foregone conclusion.

"No, relegation is not inevitable for me, all the players are aware of the situation," he added.

"I'm not stupid enough to think it's going to be easy - it's an impossible mission that we have to make possible."