Sam Allardyce has decided to leave his role as Leeds United manager following the club's relegation from the Premier League, according to a report.
Following the sacking of Javi Gracia earlier this month, Allardyce was brought in by the Whites on a short-term basis for the final four games of the season in an attempt to steer the Whites away from the bottom three.
However, Leeds accumulated just one point from a possible 12 available under the 68-year-old and were condemned to relegation, finishing in 19th place following a 4-1 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur in their final fixture last Sunday.
Allardyce had suggested that he would be open to extending his stay at Elland Road and would hold talks to see if he and the Whites were 'aligned'.
"If I do anything (in management) it will be here (with Leeds), but those discussions will happen across the next few days," Allardyce said at a press conference on Sunday.
"I will sit down for a couple of days and thrash it out for both sides to be comfortable. The last thing I want is to walk in and not go the direction we agreed.
"I don't know [if I will stay], I can only come to that decision if they want me and also on what is the outlook of the club going to look like? What is the strategy of the club and which direction do you want to go? If all that aligns and works for the club and for me, then we will see."
However, according to The Guardian, Allardyce has decided to leave Leeds following a meeting with the club's CEO Angus Kinnear on Thursday.
The West Yorkshire club will now begin their search for a successor ahead of entering the Championship, with both Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter two managers who are said to be admired by Leeds executive.
However, the report adds that the club's relegation and off-field uncertainty is unlikely to persuade either manager to take the reins at Elland Road.
Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani is currently locked in negotiations with San Francisco based investors 49ers Enterprises over selling his 56% majority stake in the club, with the deal hanging in the balance following the Whites' relegation to the Championship.
Meanwhile, Radrizzani is also attempting to buy Sampdoria and has allegedly agreed to use the Elland Road stadium as security for a £26m bank loan, which his consortium intends to use to purchase the Italian club.
Rodgers spent four years in charge of Leicester City and led them into Europe over the last two seasons, but he left the Foxes by mutual consent in April after failing to steer them away from the Premier League relegation zone.
Potter, meanwhile, was appointed Chelsea boss last September by new owner Todd Boehly, but his turbulent spell at Stamford Bridge lasted just seven months as he was sacked following a poor run of results, with the Blues eventually finishing 12th in the Premier League table.
West Bromwich Albion boss and former Leeds coach Carlos Corboran is another name said to be on the Whites' managerial shortlist along with Lorient's Regis Le Bris, who led the French outfit to a 10th-placed finish in Ligue 1 this term.
Leeds may also consider reigniting their interest in Andoni Iraola, who recently confirmed that he will leave his post at Rayo Vallecano when his contract expires this summer. body check tags ::
