Mark Warburton handed Birmingham City job with Lee Bowyer on the brink

QPR boss Mark Warburton has been handed the job at Championship rivals Birmingham City, according to TEAMtalk sources.

Birmingham officials are believed to have held talks with 59-year-old Warburton. And the Blues hierarchy have been impressed with the former Rangers boss. TEAMtalk understands Warburton will bring with him his trusted aide Frank McParland.

McParland, 63, was head of scouting at Rangers when Warburton was in charge. And he also worked closely with Warburton when he was sporting director at Nottingham Forest.

Blues are yet to axe current boss Lee Bowyer though, and so an announcement will have to follow that news.

Bowyer and Birmingham could only manage a 20th-placed finish in the Championship. The former Blues midfielder does has 12 months remaining on his contract and he wants to stay in the midlands.

Bowyer wrote in Blues News in March: “I have a year left on my contract, but I want to be here long-term. I want to be in a position to take the club forward for years to come because, as I said when I arrived, I know how good this place will be when it gets going.”

He also said: “I want to be someone that gets a bit of backing. Like the previous managers that have been here – and have a bit of money to spend.”

But that dream looks to be over with Warburton set to replace him after just over a year at St Andrew’s.

Warburton will leave QPR this summer. He spent three years with the west London club but his contract is set to expire.

He succeeded Steve McClaren as manager at Loftus Road in May 2019. And he said last month he expected to leave as no talks had been held over a new contract.

Chief executive Lee Hoos said the club wanted a “fresh start next season”.

Hoos told qpr.co.uk: “We would like to thank