By OLLIE LEWIS, DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR
Published: 06:27 EST, 7 November 2025 | Updated: 06:27 EST, 7 November 2025
Middlesbrough have elected to scrap their pre-match conference ahead of their game against Birmingham City on Saturday, with manager Rob Edwards the focus of a swoop from Premier League club Wolves.
Edwards, 42, will not face a grilling from the press after Wolves saw a formal approach to hold talks with the Boro manager rejected by the Championship outfit on Thursday.
Daily Mail Sport understands that Wolves were confident that Edwards - who started his coaching career at the club - was keen to make a return to the West Midlands.
But in order to seal a move to his former side, he would have to quit his role in the North East, having signed a three-year deal with the club last summer.
In any case, Edwards will not be questioned on his stance with the 42-year-old not undertaking media duties on Friday.
Edwards has become the top choice following Vitor Pereira's dismissal by the Premier League's bottom-placed team on Sunday.
Middlesbrough have cancelled Rob Edwards' pre-match press conference after Wolves made a move to approach the Boro boss
Edwards is understood to be keen on joining the Premier League strugglers, with Jeff Shi leading the recruitment process
The former Wolves defender and academy coach is admired for his coaching record and long-standing ties to the club. He made more than 100 appearances in the West Midlands and later worked in the youth setup before moving into senior management.
Wolves' hierarchy did want a new appointment in place before Saturday's trip to Chelsea, with first-team duties currently handled by coaches James Collins and Richard Walker.
The club sit bottom of the Premier League after last weekend's 3-0 defeat at Fulham, which proved to be Pereira's final match in charge.
Asked about the speculation after Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Leicester, Edwards kept his focus on Middlesbrough, saying: 'It's exactly the same, nothing has changed.
'As I keep on saying, it's my wife and my daughter that are keeping me abreast of it all, I've not paid any attention to it at all myself. I'm just concentrating on my job here at Middlesbrough. That's absolutely my only focus.'
Pereira’s departure marked Wolves’ second managerial change in 11 months, leaving the club under pressure to stabilise results ahead of a demanding winter schedule.
Caretakers Collins and Walker will be in the dugout at Stamford Bridge for the Chelsea game on Saturday night.