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 this afternoon.

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

The side from north east England are third in the table going into this weekend's games.

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 former Wolves player Edwards emerging as the preferred choice.

The former defender made more than 100 appearances for Wolves between 2004 and 2008, later becoming a coach at the club and briefly interim manager in 2016 after the sacking of Walter Zenga.