Chris Wilder is reportedly set to be dismissed as Sheffield United manager after failing to secure promotion to the Premier League.
Former Middlesbrough manager Wilder, 57, who led his local team from League One to the top tier in the 2018-19 season, is expected to be let go following a review of the Blades' Sky Bet Championship campaign. This comes just over 19 months after he returned to Bramall Lane for a second stint at the helm.
Under Wilder's management, the South Yorkshire club finished third behind Leeds and Burnley and lost to Sunderland in the play-off final at Wembley, despite taking an early lead.
This was a significant blow, as the club had been a strong contender for automatic promotion before winning only two of their last seven regular-season matches, falling 10 points behind.
Wilder, a former Blades defender with 126 appearances for the club during his playing career, which also included spells at Southampton, Rotherham, Notts County, Bradford, Brighton and Halifax, was reappointed manager in December 2023 on an 18-month contract.
The American-based consortium COH Sports, who took over the club in December last year, extended Wilder's contract until the end of the 2027-28 season in January. However, it seems his second tenure has come to an end.
When approached by the PA news agency, the club declined to comment.
Former Middlesbrough midfielder Gary O'Neil has been tipped to replace Wilder at Bramall Lane, with the ex-Bournemouth and Wolves manager behind former Hull City boss Ruben Selles in the early betting.