Middlesbrough are interested in making Wigan Athletic boss Paul Cook their new manager, with Birmingham and Bristol City also admirers of the highly-rated coach, according to the Evening Express.
The north east outfit might have handed the reigns to the ultimate firefighter that is Neil Warnock a matter of weeks ago but, at the grand old age of 71, one of the most experienced managers in English football is not exactly a long-term solution.
Warnock has at least saved Boro from relegation thanks to two wins in their last three games.
But it seems that, as quickly as he was parachuted in, he could be packing his bags and riding off into the sunset with another impressive feat on a CV as lengthy as the Bayeux Tapestry.
Middlesbrough are already in the process of identifying the man capable of leading Middlesbrough into a new era and, according to reports, the 2006 UEFA Cup finalists would love to beat two Championship rivals to Cook’s signature.
Like Warnock, the blue-eyed Scouser is the sort of grounded, hard-working, overachieving coach who looks the perfect fit for north east football. Did we mention he is a promotion specialist too?
Cook has won the League Two title twice with Chesterfield and Portsmouth, before repeating the trick with Wigan in the third tier.
But his future is suddenly in doubt with Wigan set to suffer a 12-point deduction after entering administration; a massive blow that threatens to undo all of their exceptional work in 2020, including that 8-0 thrashing of Hull City on Tuesday night.
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