Rob Edwards is a strong contender to replace Vitor Pereira as Wolves manager after Gary O’Neil took himself out of the race, talkSPORT understands.Former Wolves defender and ex-under-23 coach Edwards is believed to have a release clause in his Middlesbrough contract.Edwards only took the Middlesbrough job in the summer, but he could be on his way back to the Premier LeagueGettyO’Neil was close to agreeing personal terms before pulling out of a shock return to Molineux following a backlash from fans.Wolves have also discussed former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, but Edwards is ahead of him on their list of targets.The promotion-winning Luton boss is well regarded among Wolves staff and has strong ties to the area.Wolves search for new managerWolves, who are bottom of the Premier League, are on the lookout for a new boss having relieved Pereira of his duties. A 3-0 defeat at Fulham on Saturday proved to be the Portuguese’s final match in charge of the club with the club revealing the following day that they’d called time on his spell at Molineux.Pereira said in a statement later on Sunday: “It has been a privilege to manage Wolverhampton Wanderers and experience unique moments with this club and its supporters.“I would like to thank the club’s owners for their trust, the players for their hard work and commitment over these months, and all the staff for making me feel part of the family.“I wish the club all the best for the rest of the season.”Whoever ends up replacing Pereira has a mighty task ahead with Wolves already eight points off safety having obtained just two points from ten league matches this term.The race to find a successor has proved to be as frustrating as things have been on the pitch for Wolves’ FOSUN ownership group, however. Pereira was dismissed after just over ten months as managerGettyIt looked like Wolves were going to get O’Neil back but he no longer wants the jobGettyO’Neil, who was sacked by Wolves less than a year ago, appeared to be in pole position to get the job back. talkSPORT understands that O’Neil was still being paid by the club until mid-December, which was one of the reasons he was seen as the attractive option to the club’s hierarchy. But it emerged on Monday evening that O’Neil withdrew from the interview process. Wolves look to rob Rob from BoroAnd now the favourite appears to be Boro boss Edwards, who represented Wolves as a player for four years and coached their under-18 and under-23 sides. Edwards is currently in charge of Middlesbrough, who are second in the Championship, meaning his departure would be a huge setback in the team’s promotion bid.The 42-year-old only took the job in the summer having been out of work for five months after his sacking as Luton Town boss. Edwards played for Wolves between 2004-08MiddlesbroughThe Englishman guided the Hatters to the Premier League, although they were relegated straight back to the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign. Looking for ErikWolves aren’t putting all their eggs in the Edwards basket though, with former Ten Hag also a contender. Ten Hag has been out of work since August, the Dutchman receiving the sack from German club Bayer Leverkusen after just two league matches in charge. His spell with Leverkusen finished before it started, however, he enjoyed success in England. Ten Hag’s first season at Old Trafford saw Man United win the League Cup as well as achieve qualification back into the Champions League. The 2023/24 season was one of struggle for the Red Devils as they came a lowly eighth in the Premier League, although they did sign off the campaign with an FA Cup triumph against rivals Manchester City. Both Edwards and Ten Hag have experience managing in the Premier LeagueThat was enough to keep Ten Hag in a job for a further five months before INEOS gave him the chop in November 2024, replacing him with Ruben Amorim. Former Wolves striker Robbie Keane is also said to have an interest in the role but the Celtic-linked Premier League legend is not thought to be a main contender for the Wolves post.