Phil Parkinson has edged a step closer to filling the managerial vacancy at Sunderland after Reading appointed Mark Bowen as their new boss today.
Parkinson held talks with Sunderland over the weekend and remains the bookies' favourite to replace Jack Ross on Wearside.
The former Bolton Wanderers and Bradford City manager is quoted at 4/1 on by Skybet, well ahead of second favourite Nigel Pearson at 6/1.
But Parkinson - who resigned as Bolton manager in August - was also in the running for the Reading job, where he spent 11 years as a player and is regarded as a club legend, but the Royals have appointed their sporting director Bowen to the post.
Despite Reading's Championship status, Sunderland always offered the better long-term opportunity for Parkinson and he is understood to have made a positive impression on the club's recruitment team when they met.
Sunderland are looking for manager with a proven track record in League One and Parkinson fits that requirement, having won promotion from League One with Colchester United in 2006 and Bolton in 2017, in each case with clubs operating under tight financial constraints.
At Sunderland, he would have some limited transfer funds to spend in January to strengthen a squad that is already regarded as capable of challenging for promotion.
Parkinson also knows some of the players at Sunderland, having previously worked with striker Charlie Wyke and goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin at Bradford.
However the 51-year-old is not the only candidate under consideration, with the Black Cats having drawn up a shortlist, with Pearson, former Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel, Wycombe Wanderers' Gareth Ainsworth, and Wigan's Paul Cook, also linked with the job.
Sunderland are aiming to make a decision within the next 48 hours with a view to having a manager in place before this weekend's trip to Wycombe.
