According to reports, the Swedish coach is a strong candidate to replace Tony

Mowbray after rumours over the appointment of Will Still were played down

According to reports, Jimmy Thelin has been interviewed by Sunderland regarding their managerial vacancy and may take over before their December 23 home match against Coventry City.

Thelin is currently the manager of Elfsborg, a Swedish team that finished second in the Allsvenskan. After losing 1-0 to Molde in a winner-take-all match on the last day of the season, Elfsborg narrowly missed out on the title on goal differential.

The 45-year-old emerged as a leading candidate after doubts emerged over Will Still’s availability. The Reims boss

had reportedly approached Sunderland and spoke to members of the board, but

has since played down the rumours as ‘newspaper talk’.

Journalist Alan Nixon claims that after meeting with the Black Cats’ hierarchy, Thelin has emerged as a “strong candidate.” The Swede has “high chances” of taking over after Saturday’s trip to Bristol City, with interim manager Mike Dodds staying in the dugout at Ashton Gate.

However, Thelin ‘also has interest from another team in the Championship and a club outside of Scandinavia,’ according to

Swedish journalist Daniel Kristoffersson, meaning Sunderland may have

competition to get the job approved. The other two second-tier clubs looking for a

new manager are Stoke City and Swansea City.

Thelin started managing Jönköpings Södra in 2014. In his first season, he led the team to its best-ever fourth-place finish in the Swedish second division, and the following year, he was promoted. After leading Elfsborg to two second-place finishes in 2020 and 2023, he joined the team in 2018 after they had finished 12th in the Allsvenskan.