Rob Edwards has been stood down from Middlesbrough’s Championship game against Birmingham on Saturday amid interest from Wolves over their vacant manager’s position.
Wolves made a formal approach for the Boro boss earlier this week which was rejected by the Teeside club, with the manager reportedly locked in talks with the club’s hierarchy on Friday.
Edwards, who is a former Wolves player, did not take charge of Middlesbrough training on Friday, according to Sky Sports, with the 42-year-old’s press conference for the game against Blues cancelled.
Club chiefs have now seemingly made the decision that Edwards should not be involved in Saturday’s game as speculation over his future continues.
There has been no official announcment by the club and it remains to be seen who will be in the dugout at the Riverside later today.
The former Luton manager has emerged as Wolves’ top target to replace Victor Pereira, who was sacked on November 2 with the club winless and bottom of the Premier League.
Former manager Gary O’Neil was previously in talks to return to Molineux less than 12 months after his sacking but withdrew from the running after a negative fan backlash.
Tamworth-born Edwards made more than 100 appearances for thw West Midlands side as a player and also spent time at the club as a youth coach.
Edwards was asked about Wolves’ interest earlier this week, with the manager insisting his full focus was on Boro.
“You know my links to the club [Wolves],” Edwards said. “But my full focus is on this job here, which is a brilliant job, and trying to turn things around.
“It’s all speculation anyway. I never get drawn on stuff that’s all hypothetical and I don’t want to get drawn on that.
“I love being Middlesbrough manager and that’s what I want to think about.
“All I can say is I’ve not given it a single thought because my focus is just on this. It’s all the stuff that my daughter was telling me about.”
He currently has Boro chasing promotion to the Premier League as they sit third ahead of the 3pm clash against Birmingham. Edwards already has two promotions on his CV having guided Luton Town to the top flight in 2023 as well taking Forest Green up to League One in 2022.