NEIL WARNOCK wants to be Sunderland’s next manager – and would be happy to take on an interim role until the end of the season.

Having presided over the Black Cats’ deadline-day business yestereday, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus began the process of assessing candidates to replace Lee Johnson this morning.

With 17 more matches to play this season, the Sunderland owner admits he “cannot reflect for too long” as he weighs up his options, and while he has previously spoken of the importance of building for the long term, it has been suggested that he could opt for a temporary appointment to the end of the season to enable him to line up a more permanent successor to Johnson in the summer.

Warnock would be an ideal candidate for such a role, and the self-styled ‘promotion specialist’ is understood to have made contact with senior figures in the Sunderland hierarchy to confirm his interest in taking over at the Stadium of Light.

Two seasons ago, Warnock was parachuted into Middlesbrough with nine games of the campaign remaining and the Teessiders in grave danger of suffering the drop. He had an instant impact, presiding over four crucial victories that lifted Boro to the relative comfort of 18th position.

He led Boro to the fringe of the play-off positions last season, but was dismissed in November in the wake of a 1-1 draw that left club sitting in 14th position in the Championship table.

He has previously spoken of his affection for Sunderland, regarding the moment when he was overlooked for the job at Roker Park in favour of Malcolm Crosby in the early 1990s as one of the biggest regrets of his career.

Renowned as an effective man-manager and an astute tactical organiser, Warnock could provide the kind of lift that the Sunderland squad need in the wake of last weekend’s humiliating 6-0 thrashing at Bolton.

Warnock would be prepared to take on a short-term role to the end of the season, with a view to getting the Black Cats promoted while helping Louis-Dreyfus and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman line up their long-term choice for the head coach role.

Mick McCarthy has been touted as another candidate for such a stop-gap position, while Grant McCann, Alex Neil and Neil Lennon are regarded as the favourites if Louis-Dreyfus decides to appoint a manager for the long term straight away.