Middlesbrough closing in on deal to appoint Michael Carrick

There is work still to be done to secure an agreement with the 41-year-old former Manchester United assistant, but Boro are hopeful of doing just that within days.

The Teessiders have spoken to a series of candidates since dispensing with the services of Chris Wilder on 3 October, and have held more formal discussions with Carrick and ex-Watford manager Rob Edwards with the former West Ham, Tottenham and United midfielder emerging as the preferred candidate.

Interim boss Leo Percovich, with the help of coaches Craig Liddle, Lee Cattermole and Mark Tinkler, has overseen the last three games – a 1-0 win over Birmingham followed by defeats by Millwall and Blackburn – and is expected to remain at the helm for Wednesday night's trip to Wigan.

However with Boro, one of the favourites for promotion to the Premier League when the campaign kicked off, having slipped into the bottom three, the need to get the appointment of Wilder’s successor right is growing by the day.

Carrick, who briefly took charge at Old Trafford in the wake of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure, would fit the profile chairman Steve Gibson has turned to in the past when giving the job to the likes of Gareth Southgate, Aitor Karanka, Garry Monk and Jonathan Woodgate with mixed results.

The Tynesider was on the books at Boro for three years as a schoolboy, but played only one game – as a centre-forward.

Ireland defender Darragh Lenihan and underage international Calum Kavanagh - son of former Ireland midfielder Graham - are both on the books of the Riverside club.