Next Middlesbrough Manager: Ex West Ham and QPR star linked with return to Riverside Stadium

Middlesbrough are on the hunt for a new manager following the expected departure of Rob Edwards and former West Ham and QPR star Gary O’Neil has emerged as an early frontrunner.

The Championship outfit reluctantly gave permission for Edwards to enter talks with Wolves after the top flight side sacked Vitor Pereira earlier this month. The former Luton Town manager is now reported to have agreed terms at Molineux with confirmation of his appointment imminent.

That will leave Boro in the market for a new head coach. It could be an attractive opportunity at the Riverside Stadium with the club sitting second in the Championship after 15 fixtures and chasing promotion.

Ex QPR and West Ham player linked with Middlesbrough job

A leading candidate for the job is O’Neil, who himself held talks with Wolves over a return to management at Molineux, but decided that it was not the right opportunity. The manager has been out of work since leaving Wolves in December 2024.

O’Neil spent a large portion of his playing career in London, making 56 appearances for West Ham and 33 for QPR. The former midfielder achieved promotion to the Premier League with both sides - in 2012 with the Hammers and in 2014 with QPR.

The 42-year-old has managed at AFC Bournemouth and Wolves but is being cautious over his next steps in management. O’Neil did spend four years at Middlesbrough as a player, making 120 appearances, which could fuel rumours of interest in the job at the Riverside Stadium.

O’Neil ready to return despite collapse in Wolves talks

Speaking about his recent talks with Wolves, O’Neil told Sky Sports: "I spoke to the football club. It's a football club that I still have huge emotion for. I love the fan base, we had some very, very good times together, we had some tough moments. Great fans, loved my time there. Some people there that I'm very fond of. It just didn't feel like the right time, or the right fit for me at this moment. But a great club that someone is going to get hold of and going to have a right go this season, and try to build something with.

"I've been very patient since I've come out. I've had conversations with lots of people at different clubs, and I want to make sure that we get the next one that feels right for me in this moment. There's a lot of things that go into that, and this week I decided that it wasn't right for me at this time.

"Yeah [it would have felt strange going back]. Something like that, you look at how often it's happened. I worked for Harry Redknapp a bit and he jumped around Portsmouth, Southampton and back, and it's not done very often. But that's not something that put me off. The going back wasn't a problem. I back myself to do any role we go into next. But we have been patient for a reason. We're trying to find one that ticks some boxes for us, and this one wasn't it at this time."

The Standard had named O’Neil as a candidate to replace Graham Potter at his former club West Ham earlier this season. The manager has relegation fight credentials thanks to his work with the Cherries, but the Hammers eventually opted for Nuno Espirito Santo.

In other news, 'Enquires Made': Tottenham tipped to beat Chelsea and West Ham to Ivan Toney transfer.