Middlesbrough Football Club has officially addressed Rob Edwards' departure to Wolverhampton Wanderers, ending days of speculation and confirming the move. The Championship club released a statement expressing their disappointment at losing Edwards, who had only been appointed in June on a three-year contract, replacing Michael Carrick.

"Middlesbrough Football Club have, subject to the completion of an agreement with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, given head coach Rob Edwards permission to speak to Wolves," the club stated. "We initially rejected an approach from Wolves on the basis that Rob signed a three-year contract with MFC less than six months ago."

The statement continued, "Following discussions with Rob we were disappointed to learn that he wanted to speak with Wolves regarding their head coach vacancy. We have now agreed terms with Wolves, subject to the completion of the relevant paperwork."

Edwards' move comes after a strong start to the season with Middlesbrough, guiding them to second place in the Championship. His departure was unexpected, given his recent appointment and the club's promotion ambitions. Middlesbrough initially turned down Wolves' approach but relented after Edwards expressed his desire to discuss the opportunity. The club has reportedly agreed to a compensation package worth between £3-4 million with Wolves.

Edwards' decision to leave has been met with mixed reactions, with some fans expressing disappointment and others acknowledging his connection to Wolves, where he made over 100 appearances as a player between 2004 and 2008 and also held various coaching roles. Prior to joining Middlesbrough, Edwards led Luton Town to the Premier League in 2023.

Wolves, currently at the bottom of the Premier League after a poor start to the season that saw them sack Vítor Pereira, were keen to appoint Edwards quickly. The club discussed the vacancy with their former boss, Gary O'Neil, who later withdrew from the process. Edwards now faces the challenge of turning around Wolves' fortunes and securing their Premier League status.

Middlesbrough now begin the search for a new manager to continue their promotion push. Several names have already been linked with the role, including Carlos Corberan, Gary O'Neil, and Steven Gerrard. First team coaches Adi Viveash and Harry Watling, and Academy manager Craig Liddle, took charge of team affairs for Middlesbrough's recent match against Birmingham City.