Wycombe Wanderers have granted Sunderland permission to speak to Gareth Ainsworth over the vacant manager role at the Stadium of Light, the Bucks Free Press understands.

Sunderland Echo and BBC3CR are reporting that Wycombe won't stand in Ainsworth's way in speaking to Sunderland, following Jack Ross' departure earlier this week.

Ainsworth has done a phenomenal job in his seven years at Adams Park, guiding Wanderers to second in League One, having seen the club nearly drop out of the Football League in 2014.

Sunderland have approached five clubs to speak to their managers. Ainsworth is currently 1/2 favourite with SkyBet for the job.