Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton is currently an unrealistic target for West Bromwich Albion due to his £700,000 compensation fee, according to The Telegraph.

The Baggies will play their final game under Sam Allardyce on Sunday with the club announcing recently that their head coach will step down at the end of the season.

It appears Albion are wasting no time in searching for his replacement as it is understood they're set for talks with Chris Wilder, while Frank Lampard is also a potential target.

The Telegraph has reported, however, that though Appleton is highly rated at The Hawthorns he is not a realistic candidate due to his £700,000 compensation fee.

The report claims that West Brom are focussing their attention on out-of-work managers as any compensation they have to pay would come out of their summer transfer budget.

That would rule out Appleton, who has impressed many by taking Lincoln to the League One play-offs in what is his first full season in charge at Sincil Bank.

The 45-year-old is a former Baggies player and coach, having also served as caretaker manager in 2011.

The Verdict 

Lincoln fans will likely rejoice at this update.

It seems the Baggies aren't going to come calling for Appleton, despite his links to the club.

The 45-year-old could've been a very interesting appointment but may have been deemed as lacking in ambition by some fans.

While it is understandable that they want to ensure they have as much money as possible to spend in the transfer market this summer, it does seem strange that the club would not be willing to spend £700,000 on landing a new manager.

That stance may frustrate West Brom supporters, many of whom will feel that hiring the right manager should be the top priority.