Sunderland have been granted permission by Wycombe to speak to Gareth Ainsworth about filling their managerial vacancy.
Ainsworth is understood to be one of several targets. Sunderland’s request to talk to the Coventry manager, Mark Robins, who has since signed a new contract, was rejected by their League One rivals on Wednesday. The former Barnsley manager Daniel Stendel and the Wigan manager, Paul Cook, are also believed to be of interest.
Ainsworth, who is under contract until 2023, has built an outstanding reputation at Wycombe, winning promotion from League Two on a modest budget in 2018 and the club are second in League One. The 46-year-old former QPR midfielder has been in charge of Wycombe since November 2012 and is the second longest-serving manager in the country.
Ainsworth has turned down advances from Barnsley, Notts County and Lincoln and would likely want assurances over the long-term structure at Sunderland given the uncertainty surrounding a takeover.
Ainsworth and his family are based in Berkshire but, if he were offered the role, there is a sense the opportunity could ultimately be too good to turn down.
Wycombe are to vote next week on sanctioning a takeover by the American investor Rob Couhig.
Sixth-placed Sunderland, who sacked Jack Ross on Tuesday, face Wycombe in their next League One game on 19 October. “I leave with my head held high in respect to the depth of commitment and hard work my staff and I applied to the job,” said Ross on Thursday.
