The West Bromwich Albion board have reportedly decided that they will not sack Alan Pardew before the end of the season, but plan to change managers this summer instead.
The Baggies look increasingly likely to suffer relegation from the Premier League this season, with Saturday's 4-1 home defeat at the hands of Leicester City leaving them eight points from safety with only eight games remaining.
West Brom have lost their last seven matches across all competitions and have picked up just one win in their last 28 league outings - including one win in 16 during Pardew's reign.
Pardew is also understood to have lost the support of the dressing room following a string of off-field incidents including four senior players breaking a curfew at a training camp, dressing room rows and a touchline bust-up.
The Mirror reports that the club's Chinese owners feel no need to take a financial hit by sacking Pardew now, and will instead wait until the end of the campaign to use a break clause in his two-and-a-half-year deal.
The Baggies have already begun to line up possible replacements for Pardew, including Ostersunds boss Graham Potter and current Leicester City assistant Michael Appleton.
Barney Corkhill
