SUNDERLAND haven't reached a decision or agreement with any head coach - despite reports claiming a deal has been struck for Raphael Wicky to take charge at the Stadium of Light.

Fresh reports in Italy today claim the former Young Boys boss has agreed a two-year deal with Sunderland, but those claims are understood to be wide of the mark.

Sunderland have not held talks with Wicky and haven't reached an agreement with any head coach at this stage. The process of appointing a replacement for Michael Beale remains ongoing.

Sunderland bosses have held talks with Will Still in recent weeks, but reports in France now claim Lens are ready to step up their pursuit of the 31-year-old.

Still has not long been out of work having left Reims in the final weeks of the season. He was admired by Sunderland's hierarchy and was a target when Tony Mowbray left the club in December.

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Wicky, a former midfielder, had spells in charge of Basel, USA's Under-18s and Chicago Fire before taking charge of Young Boys, where he won the Swiss double. He's also been linked with Burnley after Vincent Kompany left to take charge at Bayern Munich.

Kompany is set to promote Rene Maric from Under-19s boss to the first team coaching staff at Bayern. The 31-year-old was a candidate to take charge at Sunderland but that now looks extremely unlikely.

Bo Svensson is another name who was crossed off the list earlier this week after he was appointed new boss of Union Berlin. Danny Rohl is also no longer in contention after the highly-rated German boss put pen to paper on a new contract at Sheffield Wednesday.