Roy Keane offered Sunderland job and is considering return to management

Roy Keane is mulling over a sensational return to management with Sunderland after the League One club offered the former Manchester United captain a chance to win promotion to the Championship.

Telegraph Sport understands Sunderland have asked Keane to consider a short term deal until the end of the season with the option to extend that contract if he is happy on his return to Wearside and has managed to guide the club to promotion.

Sources on Wearside have said the talks went well and Keane is receptive to the idea of coming back to the Stadium of Light but has asked for time to assess his options.

As things stand nothing has been agreed and Keane must decide whether to give up his lucrative contracts with Sky Sports and ITV, where he has enjoyed huge success as a pundit, and devote himself completely to management again.

Keane first heard about Sunderland’s interest on Monday and things have progressed quickly since then with talks taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The 50-year-old has not managed a club since a disappointing spell at Ipswich Town ended in 2011. He has, though, had success as an assistant manager at Aston Villa in the Premier League and with Martin O’Neill and the Republic of Ireland.

This would appear to be a watershed moment for Keane who has always maintained he wanted to return to the dugout but had not been given the opportunity to do so by owners who were wary of his supposedly confrontational reputation.

Sunderland would appear to be the perfect fit. He enjoyed huge success there as a manager at the start of his coaching career back in 2006, shortly after his retirement as a player.

The Irishman guided the club to promotion to the Premier League in his first season and kept them up the