Former Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder can have the West Bromwich Albion job if he wants it, according to journalist Alan Nixon

Sam Allardyce stepped down as Albion head coach at the end of the 2020/21 Premier League season and the West Midlands club are now searching for a replacement ahead of their return to the Championship.

Frank Lampard, David Wagner, and Steve Cooper are all names that have been linked with taking charge at the Hawthorns but it appears that Wilder remains the frontrunner.

Nixon has reported that such is the club's stance on Wilder that despite them having contacted a number of candidates, the former Blades boss can have the job if he wants it.

The 53-year-old left Sheffield United earlier this year ahead of their relegation from the Premier League and his position as a free agent is understood to appeal to Albion as any compensation they have to pay will come out of their transfer budget.

On top of that, Wilder has a fantastic record in the EFL and recent experience getting promoted to the Premier League, which will clearly be West Brom's target for the 2021/22 campaign.

Though they'll want to ensure they find the right replacement for Allardyce, you feel the Baggies won't want to waste time and will have to appoint their new head coach before they can properly ramp up their preparations for next season.

The summer transfer window is set to open on the 9th of June, while the EFL season is scheduled to start on the 7th of August.

The Verdict

It seems despite the other names in the fold, Wilder remains the frontrunner to become the next West Brom boss.

He deserves a huge amount of credit for what he did with the Blades and it seems those exploits have left him very highly rated at the Hawthorns – with Nixon's update indicating that they feel he is the right man for the job.

The ball, it seems, is in Wilder's court at the moment but you'd imagine that the West Midlands club will want a decision sooner rather than later so they can kick-start their preparations for life in the Championship.