Shock twist in Middlesbrough manager hunt as new favourite emerges

The PA news agency reported on Tuesday that Boro wee due to open formal discussions with the 41-year-old as they step up the search for a replacement for Chris Wilder, who left the club last week following 11 months at the helm.

Carrick, after initial contact, has been elevated to the top of the club’s wish-list in recent days as chairman Steve Gibson and head of football Kieran Scott have considered their options, although he has also been linked with West Brom in the wake of Steve Bruce’s departure on Monday.

But it won’t now be the former Manchester United man taking charge.

BBC Sport report: “The former England and Manchester United midfielder met club officials on Tuesday and does want to become a manager at some point.

“However, it is understood there was no agreement and the 41-year-old views the time as not yet being right to return to the game.”

Former Forest Green boss Rob Edwards is the new favourite. He enjoys support within the Riverside Stadium hierarchy.

Boro coach Leo Percovich was put in interim charge at the Riverside following Wilder’s exit, which came after a 1-0 defeat at Coventry left the Championship promotion hopefuls sitting inside the relegation zone.

Percovich presided over a 1-0 home win over Birmingham last Wednesday evening, but saw his side slip to a 2-0 defeat at Millwall on Saturday which left them perched just one place and two points clear of the bottom three.

He is expected to remain at the helm for this weekend’s home clash with Blackburn.

Meanwhile, in a surprise move, Lee Cattermole is now the odds-on favourite with the bookies to take the vacant Middlesbrough job.

Cattermole moved into an assistant coaching role with Middlesbrough’s first-team following Chris Wilder’s sacking at the Riverside.

Percovich has taken over first-team affairs on an interim basis, and is being assisted by Craig Liddle, Mark Tinkler and Cattermole, who are expected to remain at the helm for this weekend’s home clash with Blackburn.

Cattermole was appointed Boro’s under-18s coach in January after retiring as a player in 2020 following a long stint with Sunderland and a season in Holland.