Rangnick rejects West Brom

Former Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick has turned down an offer to manage West Brom, his adviser has announced.

The Midlands club have been searching for a new manager since the departure of Roy Hodgson, who was named the new England boss in May.

Rangnick was thought to be the favourite for the role, but his adviser Oliver Mintzlaff has said he turned the position down.

“After careful consideration, Ralf Rangnick has decided to decline the offer presented to him by Premier League club West Bromwich Albion,” Mintzlaff told Spox.com.

The 53-year-old has managed eight clubs including Stuttgart and Hannover, and was most recently in charge at Schalke until he quit citing exhaustion last September. Since then, the German has been linked closely with Turkish side Besiktas.

West Brom, meanwhile, are reportedly set to confirm ex-Liverpool assistant coach Steve Clarke as their new first team manager. Clarke has had previous experience as an assistant at Chelsea, West Ham and last season at Anfield alongside Kenny Dalglish.