The possibility of St Johnstone losing Tommy Wright to Northern Ireland has returned.
It is understood that Michael O’Neill will leave his role at Windsor Park to become the new manager of Stoke City, having agreed in principle a four-year contract.
He is expected to take charge of Northern Ireland’s last two Euro 2020 qualifiers, at home to Holland next Saturday and then away to Germany the following Tuesday, before moving on to the challenge of an English Championship relegation battle.
The last time O’Neill’s future was in doubt, when he was being courted by the SFA to replace Gordon Strachan, Wright was the favourite to replace him at the IFA.
He and Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson are likely to be frontrunners should O’Neill complete his return to club football.
