Middlesbrough are in advanced talks with Michael Carrick over the vacant head coach position at the Riverside Stadium.
The 41-year-old – a five-time Premier League winner during a 12-year spell as a player at Manchester United – has been identified as the preferred candidate to replace the sacked Chris Wilder.
Carrick has held advanced discussions with the Boro hierarchy in the past 48 hours, with the Teesside club hoping to make an announcement in the coming days.
Wilder was dismissed on October 3 after five defeats in the first 11 league games of the season and a Carabao Cup first-round exit against Barnsley.
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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship game between Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers.
Leo Percovich had overseen first team affairs over the past two weeks, assisted by Craig Liddle, Mark Tinkler and Lee Cattermole, during which time Middlesbrough beat Birmingham, but then lost to Millwall and Blackburn.
If appointed, the job will be Carrick’s first in a permanent management position. After retiring in 2018, he became part of the coaching staff at United, serving under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before departing Old Trafford upon Ralf Rangnick’s arrival last December.
Carrick is understood to have been recommended by England boss Gareth Southgate, who has a strong relationship with Boro chairman Steve Gibson following his time there as a player and manager.
Carrick took charge of Manchester United as caretaker manager late last year and avoided defeat in his three games in charge
The club had already held discussions with a number of candidates interviewed for the vacancy last week, alongside Rob Edwards, Cattermole and others.
Scott Parker, who was sacked by Bournemouth earlier this season, and out-of-work Sean Dyche were also in Boro’s thinking as they searched for the right successor to Wilder.
Carrick faces a tough start to life at the Riverside, should he take charge, with five of Middlesbrough’s seven remaining fixtures before the World Cup taking place away from home.
