Middlesbrough stood down head coach Rob Edwards from Saturday's Championship clash against Birmingham City, as the 42-year-old edges closer to a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Edwards did not lead training on Friday and was absent from his scheduled pre-match press conference.
Wolves had submitted an official approach on Thursday to secure their former player and coach, which Middlesbrough initially rejected. However, the club deemed it impossible for Edwards to take charge of the match after discussions with owner Steve Gibson and the hierarchy.
The move represents a potential hammer blow for Middlesbrough, currently sitting third in the Championship. The club has won seven and drawn five of their 15 games since Edwards took charge in June on a three-year contract, replacing Michael Carrick.
Wolves connection runs deep
Edwards made 100 league appearances for Wolves between 2004 and 2008 as a defender. He later returned to Molineux in a coaching capacity, working in the academy and with the first team for six years before leaving for a role with the Football Association in 2019.
The 42-year-old had a brief spell as interim manager at Wolves in 2016. He previously interviewed for the permanent role in 2022 before Wolves appointed Julen Lopetegui.
Desperate situation at Molineux
Wolves sit rock bottom of the Premier League with just two points from ten matches, eight points adrift of safety. They sacked Vitor Pereira, who had recently signed a three-year contract, following the team's dire form.
The club had initially explored bringing back Gary O'Neil, who left in December 2024. Those talks broke down on Monday amid significant supporter backlash and doubts from players about his return.
Wolves face a brutal fixture list ahead, with matches against Chelsea, Aston Villa and Arsenal.
The club would need to pay compensation to Middlesbrough to secure Edwards, with several Boro players reportedly expecting their manager to depart.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
