Sunderland AFC manager latest: Liam Rosenior boost, Paul Heckingbottom competition, Bo Svensson | OneFootball

Sunderland are still searching for a new manager over three months after the departure of Michael Beale.

Beale was an unpopular choice among Black Cats supporters after replacing Tony Mowbray in December, and he was sacked in February after winning just four of his 12 games in charge, with Mike Dodds taking over on an interim basis until the end of the season.

Dodds enjoyed a strong spell as caretaker following Mowbray's exit, but he found it much tougher this time around, and Sunderland finished the season in a disappointing 16th place, just six points above the relegation zone.

A host of names have been linked with the Sunderland job since Beale's dismissal, including Alex Neil, Marek Papszun, Steve Cooper, Will Still, Roy Keane, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, Scott Parker, Danny Rohl, Jermain Defoe and Rene Maric.

However, an appointment does not seem imminent, and with new names entering the frame, we rounded up all the latest news on the Black Cats' managerial search.

Liam Rosenior boost

Football Insider revealed last week that Sunderland are interested in former Hull City manager Liam Rosenior.

Rosenior was surprisingly sacked by the Tigers earlier this month, despite leading them to a seventh-placed finish in the Championship this season, and he has been in demand since his exit from the MKM Stadium.

The 39-year-old held talks with Plymouth Argyle, who are searching for a permanent replacement for Ian Foster after he was sacked in April, but he rejected the chance to take over at Home Park.

Birmingham City are on the hunt for a new manager after Mowbray stepped down due to health reasons, and according to journalist Alan Nixon, Rosenior is on the Blues' radar, but he "is not keen on the post at the moment".

Rosenior's reluctance to take the Plymouth or Birmingham jobs would suggest that he is waiting for an attractive Championship vacancy, which may give Sunderland a strong chance of landing his signature, and the Black Cats could make a move for him if they fail to land one of their foreign targets.

Paul Heckingbottom competition

The Sun claimed in March that former Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom was Sunderland's first choice target to replace Beale, but there has been little progress since then.

Heckingbottom has been out of work since being sacked by the Blades in December after a poor start to life in the Premier League, but he did lead the club to promotion from the Championship last season as they finished second behind champions Burnley.

The fact that any new manager would only be allowed to bring one member of staff to the Stadium of Light was initially seen as a stumbling block in the Black Cats' pursuit of Heckingbottom, but the club have now changed their stance on this.

It remains to be seen whether Heckingbottom is still in the frame for the Sunderland job, but they now face competition for the 46-year-old from Plymouth, with journalist John Percy revealing that he will be interviewed by the Pilgrims this week.

Heckingbottom is "one of several options under consideration" by Argyle, and they are keen to appoint a manager with experience of the division.

Former Bundesliga coach on radar

Another name on Sunderland's list of targets is former Mainz boss Bo Svensson, as per Nixon.

Svensson is available after leaving Mainz by mutual consent in November following a poor start to the season that saw his side fail to win any of their first nine league games, but his tenure at the club was a success overall.

The 44-year-old arrived in January 2021 with the club sitting in the relegation zone, but he inspired a remarkable upturn in fortunes to keep them in the Bundesliga, and he oversaw eighth and ninth-placed finishes respectively in the next two seasons.