Sunderland in for Mcinnes
Sunderland have made formal contact with Aberdeen over Derek Mcinnes as they seek a new manager to replace David Moyes who resigned last month in the wake of relegation to the Championship.
Senior figures at the Pittodrie club are understood to be resigned to losing Mcinnes who led the club
club to a runners-up finish in last season’s Ladbrokes Premiership and both major cup finals.
It is thought Sunderland identified Mcinnes as their preferred candidate some time ago and the process may now move forward quickly after he returned from holiday.
The 45-year-old is in his third managerial job, having won promotion with St Johnstone prior to being lured back south of the Border to take charge of Bristol City in 2011. Mcinnes lasted just over a year in the south west and was sacked by the club in January 2013 when they were bottom of the Championship, yet he has rebuilt his reputation at Pittodrie.
He led the club to their first piece of silverware in 19 years when they won the Scottish League Cup in 2014 and the Dons finished each of the previous three seasons in second place in the league.
Given Celtic’s dominance, Mcinnes could now be tempted by the challenge of bringing Sunderland back to English football’s top flight.
Sunderland may also be able to offer their new boss a significant transfer kitty, having yesterday agreed a deal with Everton for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford which could reach £30 million.
On the day that he joined the Aberdeen board as a major shareholder, former chief executive Dave Cormack conceded that interest in Mcinnes was inevitable.
He told STV: “His team have done an incredible job over the last four years and he’s a very astute individual.
“He’s not just a football manager. The conversations I have had with him, he’s interested in the whole club, from the marketing to communications and obviously we want to keep our best people: players and the management team.
“But, at the end of the day, you know, with the success we’ve had, our players and people like Derek, people will approach the club because of the success he’s had.”
Cormack’s return is significant with Aberdeen announcing that the Scottish businessman has joined the board and “made a substantial investment in the club through the acquisition of shares”.
Cormack, the Pittodrie club’s interim chief executive from 2000 to 2001, was president and chief executive of USA software company Brightree, which sold for £567 million last year.