Steve Bruce looks set for a sensational return to management - with West Brom.
The former Aston Villa and Birmingham City chief appears to be heading to the Black Country to take up the Baggies’ promotion push.
Bruce, 61, has been out of the game since leaving Newcastle United shortly after the Saudi Arabian-led takeover of the giant Tyneside club.
But he is the clear frontrunner and should be appointed to the position in the coming days as West Brom move to source a replacement for Valerian Ismael.
The former Manchester United double-winner re-located to Cheshire after his sacking by the Magpies.
He has led two clubs - Birmingham City and Hull City into the Premier League and came within a whisker of adding Aston Villa to that list but they were defeated in the play-off final by Fulham.
Ismael, who had previously impressed at Barnsley, was sacked less than 12 months into his Baggies reign on Wednesday.
His dismissal comes off the back of three losses in their last four Championship games, leaving Albion in fifth place and well adrift of the automatic promotion spots.
"West Bromwich Albion Football Club can confirm Valérien Ismaël has today left his position as head coach," a statement from the club said.
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"Assistant head coach Adam Murray has also departed The Hawthorns.
"The club would like to place on record its thanks to Valérien and Adam for their efforts and wishes them well in the future.
"The process of recruiting a new head coach is now under way and an appointment will be announced in due course."
Ismael's final game ended in a 2-0 loss against Millwall, and he spoke candidly about the setback after the match.
“We’ve lost two games and it’s been a difficult week. We’ve been conceding too many goals and it wasn’t what we were expecting so today’s result was a really difficult one to take today," he said.
“When the game was at 0-0, we needed to stay strong and be more clinical with our chances. We should have forced the opponent in their half more to force the mistakes, but at the minute it’s turning on us for the other side.
“But this is football and we have to find a way to fight back in our next game. This is what you need to show against the setbacks we face and the performance will have to be delivered to give us a chance of winning in the next game.”
