Stade de Reims boss Will Still is ‘very interested’ in becoming the new Sunderland head coach, according to the usually ultra-reliable L’Equipe.
Sunderland sacked Tony Mowbray eight days ago after a poor run of results, although things have picked up dramatically since then.
With Mike Dodds in temporary charge, the Black Cats have beaten fellow Championship play-off chasers West Brom and Leeds.
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That will not be enough to secure Dodds the job on a permanent basis, though, and Still has reportedly already spoken to Sunderland about taking the helm.
Those talks have apparently gone very well, with Still worrying he has taken Stade de Reims as far as he can with their limited budget. He is also concerned about January given they will lose a number of players to the Africa Cup of Nations and Asia Games, leaving him keen to take the opportunity for a fresh start at Sunderland.
One stumbling block could well be the size of the compensation package it would take to complete the deal.
Still does have an exit clause in his deal but it does not come into effect until the summer, meaning the Ligue 1 club can demand a sizable financial package for the 31-year-old.
However, Still is reportedly immensely keen on the Sunderland job, with L’Equipe insisting he is “ready to pack his bags in the coming days.”
One man who won't be joining Sunderland is Kim Hellberg. The Swede had been linked with the job but he is set to join Hammarby instead.
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