SUNDERLAND have made Nigel Pearson one of the main contenders for the managerial vacancy at the Stadium of Light, even though he is also strongly in the running for the Middlesbrough job.

Pearson is desperate to return to management this summer and has been shortlisted for the positions at both of the Wear-Tees rivals.

The 53-year-old has been out of work since leaving Derby County last October and is being seriously considered for the job at Sunderland by chief executive Martin Bain.

The situation is complicated by Pearson’s interest in the Middlesbrough post, although Bain will not be rushed into making a decision and is keen to speak to everyone on his shortlist over the next few days.

Pearson is one of those, while Aberdeen’s Derek McInnes is still high in Bain’s thinking. McInnes is under contract at Pittodrie, though, and a compensation payment could put Sunderland off.

The availability of Pearson makes him an attractive proposition, while other free agents such as Paul Lambert and Alan Pardew are also under consideration. Nigel Clough, Simon Grayson and Paul Heckingbottom have also been discussed.

Bain and the club’s owner Ellis Short have been happy to bide their time in the fortnight since the season ended at Chelsea, with David Moyes deciding to step down a day later.

The search for a new manager has stepped up in the last few days after a period of reflection but this is the week Bain is looking to make significant progress; it is hoped there will be an appointment by the end of it.

There are players at the club waiting to hear who is in charge before making decisions on their own futures. John O’Shea and Seb Larsson are two of those out of contract and have interest from elsewhere.

Sunderland do not want to offer new deals until a new manager is appointed, so O’Shea and Larsson are in limbo. It has emerged O’Shea has the option of joining Wolves as a free agent, while Larsson could head abroad.

Both players have not ruled out extending their stays on Wearside, although the longer the wait goes on for a new manager the more chance there is of them signing elsewhere.

Steven Pienaar is another out of contract and expected to leave. He has been offered a deal in South Africa with Cape Town City, who are waiting for his decision.

Cape Town’s chairman John Comitis said: “Steven is a great player. We are just waiting to see what he is going to do and what his decision is.”

Adnan Januzaj, who spent last season on loan at Sunderland, will not be returning. He was disappointing during his spell and Jose Mourinho is now expected to tell him that he can leave Manchester United this summer.