Stoke manager odds: Alex Neil odds-on favourite to replace Michael O'Neill

The prices were drastically cut on Friday morning, with reports claiming that the club had given him permission to discuss the opportunity with the Potters.

Neil's usual weekly press conference was also delayed until Friday afternoon.

Next Stoke City next manager odds (via Sky Bet)

• Alex Neil - 4/9
• Sean Dyche - 3/1
• Chris Wilder - 14/1
• Dean Holden - 14/1
• Daniel Farke - 16/1

Odds correct at 1125 BST (26/08/22)

Neil guided Sunderland back to the Sky Bet Championship following success in the League One play-offs last season. They currently sit 5th in the table after five games.

That includes victory over Stoke last time out - the 1-0 scoreline being O'Neill's final game in charge of the club.

He has history of guiding a team to the Premier League, winning the Championship play-offs with Norwich in 2015.

Neil replaces Sean Dyche at the top of the market, with the former Burnley boss the instant favourite when the news of O'Neill's departure was made public.

Dyche, 51, was sacked by the Clarets in April after 10 years at Turf Moor.

He twice achieved promotion from the Sky Bet Championship for the Clarets and had achieved Premier League safety for five successive seasons when he was relieved of his duties.

Despite an initial uptick under Michael Jackson, Burnley were relegated on the final day of 2021/22.

O'Neill's three-year spell with the Potters was ended on Thursday with the club fourth-bottom of the table having collected just four points from their opening five Championship matches.

His former assistant Dean Holden, who spent seven months as Bristol City boss from July 2020 to February 2021, has been appointed caretaker manager for Stoke's trip to Blackburn on Saturday.

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