Ex-Robins head coach Lee Johnson has been linked with the vacant managerial position at Sunderland.
The Football Insider account reports that Johnson is a 'leading contender' to take over at the Stadium of Light with Phil Parkinson having left the job at the weekend.
The Black Cats decided to part ways with former Bolton Wanderers boss Parkinson on Sunday after a run of five matches without a win, and the 53-year-old exits having spent just over a year in charge of the League One outfit.
Johnson has been out of work since losing 0-1 to Cardiff City at the end of last season, and was believed to have been interested in the Sheffield Wednesday post that came up last month, before Tony Pulis was appointed at Hillsborough instead.
Johnson, 39, is understood to be waiting for the right opportunity before he jumps back into management.
Should he take on the job in the north east, it would of course see the 39-year-old rejoin his former Bristol City skipper Bailey Wright, who joined Sunderland on a free transfer in the summer, and who Johnson recently wrote about in a LinkedIn social media blog post.
However, despite the news, former Huddersfield Town boss Danny Cowley remains the favourite with the bookmakers for the post.
Paul Cook and Gus Poyet also feature highly in the running, despite reports that Poyet is not interested in a return to his former side that he managed from 2013-2015.
Bookies favourites for the Sunderland job as it stands (odds from the Sack Race/Bet Victor/Paddy power):
- Danny Cowley, 8/13
- Gus Poyet, 2/1
- Paul Cook, 4/1
- Lee Johnson, 6/1
- Nigel Pearson, 8/1
Sunderland are currently seventh in League One after a 1-1 draw with Burton on Tuesday night and face Wigan at home on Saturday next.
An appointment is expected by the weekend.
