Journalist drops huge Sunderland manager claim, says it's now one candidate's "job to turn down"

Journalist Pete O’Rourke reckons that Roy Keane is the clear “frontrunner” to become the next Sunderland manager after holding talks with the Stadium of Light outfit.

The 50-year-old has been out of management since he was sacked by Ipswich more than 11 years ago but could make a sensational return with the League One giants.

When Sunderland beat Sheffield Wednesday 5-0 on 30 December, they sat top of the third-tier standings and everything was looking rosy for Lee Johnson, whose side were unbeaten in nine league games.

However, since that victory, everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong. Sunderland have seen their top-two hopes get slimmer with every passing week and are still searching for a new manager after Johnson was sacked following the embarrassing 6-0 defeat at Bolton last month.

Their form has hardly improved since then and while the defeats against previously rock-bottom Doncaster and Cheltenham have left them just two points behind second-place, Wigan have four games in hand on Sunderland, and are in the driving seat to gain automatic promotion along with Rotherham.

But the Black Cats could be on the verge of appointing a new manager. According to the Daily Mail, Keane is the preferred choice and is in advanced talks over becoming Johnson’s replacement and returning to the Stadium of Light dugout more than 13 years after his departure.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “He’s the clear frontrunner. He’s held talks, and, for me, this is Roy Keane’s job to turn down.”

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It would be a popular appointment with the Sunderland faithful, but football has changed drastically since he was last in the dugout, meaning there’s an element of risk.

Keane would rally the