Ian Pearce has been promoted to head of football operations at West Bromwich Albion days after it emerged he was a potential contender for a senior role at Stoke City.
The former West Ham and Blackburn Rovers defender, who has been head of recruitment at Albion since 2018, has been among the possible candidates as Stoke restructure behind the scenes. That followed news of Ron Gourlay stepping down as chief executive at the Hawthorns while manager Carlos Corberan has been strongly linked with Leeds.
Stoke have employed a specialist agency to help staff what will be a key role behind the scenes at Clayton Wood, helping Alex Neil and Ricky Martin in what will be one of the busiest summers in the club's history.
There are other candidates from clubs who were in the Championship last season, including a data specialist, and Stoke are believed to be in the closing stages of the process.
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There are expected to be at least 10 new faces arriving this summer in what could be a transformative window as 18 players who got on the pitch last season have since left the club.
Head of football operations Andy Cousins and chief scout Tommy Coakley have both left the club recently, with Cousins moving to Chelsea. Stoke haven't had a head of recruitment by title since Alex Aldridge returned to Millwall in March last year.
West Brom have announced that managing director Mark Miles will "assume the duties" of Gourlay.
Miles said: "Make no mistake, we will be building a squad equipped to compete for promotion - but sales are necessary in order to increase income and reduce the first-team wage bill.
"Last season's Championship table evidences the fact that high spending does not always equate with success, and clubs with limited resources, if managed smartly and diligently, can outperform those with bigger budgets.
"In Ian Pearce we have an experienced and knowledgeable football mind who knows what is required to achieve success. His already strong relationship with Carlos will only strengthen as they work together even more closely. They have been working together preparing for this transfer window for some time and are very much on the same page in terms of what the club requires."
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