Sam Allardyce will be named Leeds United manager on Wednesday on a £3million mission to beat the drop.
The 68-year-old former Bolton, West Ham and England manager will be paid £500,000 to take charge of Leeds for the final four matches of the season as they fight for their Premier League lives.
If Allardyce succeeds, he will net a bonus of more than £2.5million.
Leeds are yet to announce the departure of manager Javi Gracia, who has been in charge for only two and a half months.
But after a fast-moving 24 hours it can be revealed:
Sam Allardyce has agreed a shock return to football after he was appointed as the new Leeds United manager
- Gracia has been fired and follows director of football Victor Orta through the exit door.
- Allardyce cannot be joined by old sidekick Sammy Lee because the 64-year-old is on jury service and has not been excused by the judge.
- Former MK Dons and Oxford manager Karl Robinson will be Allardyce’s No 2.
- Allardyce will take training for the first time on Wednesday ahead of Leeds’ daunting trip to Manchester City on Saturday.
The hope is that Allardyce, who left his last role at West Bromwich Albion after suffering his first top-flight relegation in 2021, will have an immediate impact.
Leeds are only outside the drop zone on goal difference and relegation would be hugely costly given a deal is in place with the owners of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers to buy the club.
There are concerns about the impact dropping out of the top flight would have on that takeover.
After the trip to the Etihad, Leeds host Newcastle before visiting fellow strugglers West Ham. They face Tottenham at home in their final game. Allardyce will hope to have Lee back from jury service before that.
The former West Ham, Bolton, England and West Brom manager will be paid handsomely
He will, however, not be joined by long-time assistant Sammy Lee who is on jury duty and was not given permission to leave by the judge
Leeds appointed Gracia on February 22. The Spaniard, who turned 53 on Monday, replaced Jesse Marsch and oversaw wins against Southampton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest in his first six Premier League matches.
However, Leeds have taken just one point from their five matches since then, and conceded 18 goals in the process. On April 9 they went 1-0 up against Crystal Palace who, at the time, were relegation rivals. But on a morale-sapping afternoon, Roy Hodgson’s side went on to win 5-1.
Palace’s equaliser, scored just before half-time…