Wolverhampton Wanderers have identified Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards as their primary target to fill the vacant head coach position at Molineux, following the dismissal of Vitor Pereira on Sunday.
The Premier League's bottom club are preparing an official approach for the highly-regarded young manager, who has strong connections to Wolves having previously served as both player and coach at the West Midlands club.
Compensation Battle Looms
Middlesbrough face a fight to retain their manager, with Edwards only joining the Riverside Stadium club on a three-year contract this summer. The Championship outfit currently sit third in the table following Tuesday's draw at Leicester and last weekend's defeat to Watford.
Those recent results saw Boro slip out of the automatic promotion places, leaving them just one point behind Stoke City as speculation intensifies about Edwards' potential return to his former club.
Familiar Territory for Edwards
This wouldn't be Edwards' first taste of management at Wolves - he had a brief spell as caretaker manager in 2016, shortly after Fosun International acquired the club. His previous connection to the club and understanding of its culture makes him an attractive candidate for the struggling Premier League side.
Wolves' pursuit comes after an unexpected twist in their search for a new manager. The club had previously agreed terms with Gary O'Neil, only for the former Wolves manager to unexpectedly withdraw from the process on Monday.
Desperate Times at Molineux
The urgency of Wolves' situation cannot be overstated. Saturday's comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Fulham left the club with just two points from their opening ten Premier League matches, placing them firmly at the foot of the table and in desperate need of a managerial revival.
Should Wolves succeed in their pursuit, they would need to pay significant compensation to Middlesbrough to release Edwards from his current contract, setting the stage for a tense negotiation between the two clubs.
