Paolo Di Canio is in the north east to speak with Sunderland less than 24 hours after Martin O’Neill’s sacking.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, jobless Paolo Di Canio has headed to the Stadium of Light to discuss the prospect of being Sunderland’s new manager.
Black Cats owner Ellis Short has invited the Italian to the north east as the club look to replace Martin O’Neill by Monday morning.
O’Neill was sacked from his position following his team’s 0-1 home defeat to Premier League leaders Manchester United.
Sunderland had not won in their previous eight matches going into the tie against the Red Devils and they now have just seven matches for the new manager to make an impact.
It will be a tough ask for Di Canio if he is brought in, as the Black Cats sit just one point out of the relegation zone and have difficult away matches coming up against Chelsea next week and then bitter rivals Newcastle.
44-year-old Di Canio has little managerial experience, after resigning from his only job as boss at League One Swindon Town back in February.
Yet it seems the controversial former West Ham striker is now Short’s favourite to save Sunderland from relegation.
As well as the problem of improving morale at the club, Di Canio would have to go into the last seven matches without the club’s captain and top-goalscorer.
Skipper Lee Cattermole and striker Steven Fletcher have both been ruled out for the rest of the season with injuries, making Sunderland’s chances of survival even more unlikely.
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