Rob Edwards to Wolves twist emerges - it’s bad news for Middlesbrough | OneFootball

Could Edwards' time at the Riverside Stadium be short-lived?

There has been a surprise twist in the situation of current Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards, as it has emerged his representatives have been in talks with Wolverhampton Wanderers over the managerial vacancy at Molineux, and an official approach is on the horizon.

Boro only appointed Edwards as their new head coach in the summer to succeed Michael Carrick, whose time on Teesside ended at just over 31 months in charge after failing to get the club into the Championship play-off spots last season.

Under Edwards though, the North East outfit have started the season very well, and currently sit third in the second tier standings with their new boss at the helm - but a threat in the form of Premier League strugglers Wolves is coming.

Middlesbrough set to receive official approach from Wolves for Rob Edwards

It was reported earlier on Thursday by the Northern Echo from Middlesbrough's end that Edwards had not held talks with Wolves, having been continuously linked to the vacancy since Vitor Pereira's dismissal last weekend.

However, in a sudden turn of events, claims from Midlands-based Express & Star journalist Liam Keen emerged that Edwards was now the front-runner to be appointed at Molineux, with talks taking place between the 42-year-old's representatives and the Wolves hierarchy.

And to add insult to injury for Boro fans, The Telegraph's John Percy has now reported that Wolves will be submitting an official approach to Middlesbrough for Edwards' services, having now honed in on him as their first-choice candidate to succeed Pereira in the dugout.

Edwards of course is no stranger to Wolves, having played 111 times for them as a centre-back, with the former Wales international also coaching their under-18's before being promoted to a first-team coach in 2015.

Having been born and raised in nearby Telford, Edwards could potentially jump at the chance to move closer to home with Wolves, but it remains to be seen as to whether Boro give him permission to speak to the West Midlands club.

Potential Rob Edwards decision will likely draw angst from Middlesbrough fans

Should Edwards make it clear to Boro's hierarchy that he would like to speak to Wolves, it means a move to Molineux would be inevitable - just a few months after he landed the job at the Riverside.

You can see the attraction from Edwards' side even though Wolves are currently struggling in the top flight - he's from the local area and spent a lot of time at the club as a player and a coach, so the chance to manage their first-team in the world's biggest league would be huge, if not a big challenge.

On the Boro side of things though, fans will no doubt be angry should he decide he wants to leave so soon after taking charge of the club, given the fact they took a chance on him when his stock had lowered considerably.

After winning promotion to the Premier League with Luton Town, Edwards was applauded for his attempts to keep the Hatters in the division against all odds, but they soon struggled in the Championship, and his sacking in January of 2025 may have come too late in the club's bid to stop themselves being relegated to League One.

Despite a reputation that had been lowered, Edwards came in and galvanised Boro in the early stages of this season, and they were top of the pack for the opening weeks of the season, and should he leave the club in third position in the Championship, then it would be a good platform for another manager to come in and take over his work - the fanbase though would perhaps not be in a forgiving mood.