Former Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka is reportedly the man Birmingham City chiefs want to replace Harry Redknapp at St Andrew's.
The Blues are on the lookout for a new manager after parting company with Redknapp at the weekend, fresh on the back of losing a sixth game on the spin.
A number of names have been linked with the vacant job, including ex-Brum coach Steve Cotterill and current stand-in Lee Carsley, but The Mirror reports that Karanka is in pole position.
It is claimed that City's owners want an experienced coach who boasts promotion-winning experience, such as the Spaniard who took Boro up to the Premier League in 2016 before being sacked less than a year later.
Karanka is currently mourning the loss of his father and recently turned down the chance to boss Alaves in La Liga.
