Roberto Mancini tops the shortlist of American Ellis Short as the majority shareholder seeks a new manager for Sunderland.

The Sunday Express says Short is increasingly calling the shots and wants chairman Niall Quinn, who had been looking at targets nearer home, to go for a continental boss.

Mancini is available after leaving Inter Milan in the summer after winning three consecutive Serie A titles.

Also on Short's list is former Rangers and current Zenit St Petersburg manager Dick Advocaat and ex-Ajax and Valencia manager Ronald Koeman.