Albion line up old boy Appleton as summer successor to Pardew

Michael Appleton is emerging as a serious contender to take over at West Bromwich Albion in the summer as the club prepare for likely relegation to the Championship.

With Alan Pardew expected to leave at the end of the season, the club are already targeting potential replacements and Appleton is understood to be high on the list.

The Leicester assistant manager is admired by Mark Jenkins, the West Brom chief executive, and fits the profile for the next head coach at The Hawthorns.

Appleton is a former Albion player and coach, establishing a fine reputation working alongside first Roberto Di Matteo and then Roy Hodgson. He also has manage- rial experience after spells with Portsmouth, Blackpool, Blackburn and, most recently, Oxford United.

The 42-year-old left Oxford last summer to work under Craig Shakespeare at Leicester and is joint assistant manager in Claude Puel’s backroom staff, following Shakespeare’s dismissal in October.

Pardew’s position is thought to be safe for the remainder of the season despite an alarming run of just one league win from 16 games.

But Albion anticipate major surgery ahead of next season with a number of players also expected to leave.

Pardew takes his team to Bournemouth today, eight points adrift of safety, revealing that he has fined on-loan midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak over a clash when he was substituted last weekend.