Middlesbrough boss Edwards stood down amid Wolves interest

Boss Rob Edwards has been stood down from Middlesbrough’s game against Birmingham on Saturday amid Wolves’ interest in appointing him as their new manager.

Wolves saw an approach to speak to Edwards rejected by Boro on Thursday and the manager was locked in talks with members of the Championship club’s hierarchy on Friday.

Edwards did not hold his regular pre-game news conference or oversee the team’s final training session before the Championship game with Birmingham.

And it has now emerged he will not take charge of the home match against the Blues.

Edwards signed a three-year contract to succeed Michael Carrick as Middlesbrough manager in June.

Wolves sacked Vitor Pereira on Sunday after a 10-game winless start to the season that leaves them four points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League.

After Pereira was dismissed BBC Sport reported that former Luton manager Edwards was among the leading contenders to replace the 57-year-old Portuguese, alongside former boss Gary O’Neil.

Wolves held talks with O’Neil but the 42-year-old withdrew from the running on Monday, with their former player Edwards emerging as the preferred choice.

The ex-defender made more than 100 appearances for Wolves between 2004 and 2008.

His early coaching career also included spells at non-league Telford and England Under-16s.

He became head coach of Forest Green Rovers in 2021 before taking over at Championship side Watford the following year, but was sacked only 11 matches into his tenure.

The former Wales international replaced Nathan Jones as Luton boss in November 2022 and in his first season in charge led the club to the Premier League for the first time, although they had previously enjoyed spells in the English top flight before it was renamed.