Every Sunderland manager rumour rated from Rene Maric to Gus Poyet as Kyril Louis-Dreyfus prepares decision

Sunderland’s disappointing Championship campaign is drawing to a close, leaving the hierarchy with a major decision to make as they prepare to appoint a new head coach.

The club decided not to immediately appoint a successor to Michael Beale, instead giving them time to reflect on what had been a bruising period and run an extensive process in the hope of producing a better outcome for next season. Mike Dodds has overseen the final fixtures of the campaign as interim boss but amid a number of injuries to key players he has been unable to spark a turnaround and is now almost certain to return to his previous role.

Sunderland are looking for a candidate with an elite coaching pedigree who can oversee a promotion push next season, but they must work within the club’s current structure and within the current recruitment strategy. While they will be able to make an appointment of their own to the coaching group, they will be expected to work with Dodds and the rest of the existing coach staff. So who is in the frame as it stands and what rumours should fans be paying attention too? Here, we take a look through the current bookies’ list to assess who is worth keeping an eye on, and the links which seem unlikely to come to fruition...