Middlesbrough FC in advanced talks to replace Michael Carrick with 42-year-old | OneFootball

The former Luton Town boss is now set to take over as Boro's new head coach.

Rob Edwards is in advanced talks to become Middlesbrough's new head coach.

That's according to a report from Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett via his X account on Tuesday afternoon.

It's now understood that Edwards has fended off competition from both Danny Rohl and Steve Cooper to fill Boro's managerial vacancy, after former boss Michael Carrick was relieved of his duties at the beginning of this month.

Official confirmation of the 42-year-old - who has been out of work since leaving Luton Town in early January - landing his latest EFL role is thought to be imminent.

Middlesbrough in advanced talks with Rob Edwards to fill Riverside Stadium managerial vacancy

Sky Sports News are reporting that Edwards is now in advanced talks over becoming Middlesbrough's new head coach.

From the very moment that Carrick was axed by Boro on 4 June, the former Luton boss was being discussed as a leading candidate to succeed the Manchester United and England legend on Teesside.

Indeed, Edwards and Boro's head of football, Kieran Scott, know each other from their time working at Wolves, and Scott is known to be an admirer of his.

Edwards, a former England Under-16's manager, interviewed for the Middlesbrough job when Chris Wilder was sacked in October 2022, but the club's chairman and owner Steve Gibson decide to appoint Carrick instead.

Now it appears as though he's finally going to get his chance to fill the Boro hotseat, and should he indeed put pen to paper, he will be tasked with leading the club to Premier League promotion next season.

A new era is set to start on Teesside, and it looks as though it will be led by Edwards.

Given the calibre of coaches in the running for the Middlesbrough job, namely Rohl and Cooper, there will be some division among Boro fans as to whether Edwards is the right man for the job.

However, the former Wales international does have a Premier League promotion on his CV with Luton Town; a 2022/23 play-off final win over Coventry that remains as one of the Championship's best promotion achievements by a club in recent times.

Despite his side suffering relegation from the top flight the following year with an 18th-placed finish, his Hatters team fought bravely and admirably against it, with Edwards earning plaudits and respect for fielding a far more competitive side in that division than many had expected.

So, whilst his Luton story didn't end the way he, nor the Kenilworth Road faithful who adored their manager would've wanted, it was still a tale that brought that club some of their finest days in their history, and put them firmly back on the English footballing map and into the consciousness of football fans across the world.

Therefore, he will evidently tick a lot of boxes for Middlesbrough, and as such, the Boro faithful must now rally around their new man ahead of a vitally important 2025/26 season after what was a highly disappointing campaign this past term.