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Barcelona legend Patrick Kluivert has soared towards the top of the betting to become the next manager of West Brom.

Kluivert, who has held previous coaching roles with AZ Alkmaar, the Netherlands national team and the Ajax youth team has most recently been the director of football at French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

His playing career was a decorated one indeed; Kluivert made more than 250 appearances for Barca between 1998 and 2004 and scored more than 120 goals.

Having played for Ajax, Milan, Newcastle, Valencia, PSV and Lille in a career spanning almost 15 years, Kluivert also has 79 caps and scored 40 times for his native Netherlands.

In the week Albion announced the departure of Nick Hammond and the appointment of technical consultant Giuliano Terraneo, Kluivert (11/4) has now appeared in the top two of the list in the betting markets of Sky Bet and Bet Victor for the next permanent Albion boss.

Mick McCarthy (7/4) remains the favourite with the same bookies, while Dean Smith, Michael Appleton, Derek McInnes and Craig Shakespeare make up the remaining group at the top of the list.

A new face

West Brom have appointed Italian Giuliano Terraneo as a short-term replacement for technical director Nick Hammond who left this week.

Terraneo, described the club as an ‘experienced sporting director’, joins in the role of technical consultant for an initial six-month period.

Chief executive Mark Jenkins said Terraneo would play a key role in the recruitment of a manager and players, and that his appointment had been endorsed by owner Guochuan Lai.

“Giuliano joins us in what we all acknowledge will be a very important close season,” Jenkins said.

“He will assist in the recruitment of a new head coach and the re-structure of the squad.

“In the event of our losing Premier League status, it will be a squad we will want to compete strongly for promotion back to the top tier.

“Giuliano will assist in the recruitment long-term of a new sporting and technical director and he will also be involved in the complete review of the recruitment department.”

The former goalkeeper’s most recent role was as sporting director with Turkish club Fenerbahce.

Giuliano said: “I am pleased to be able to accept the opportunity to help the Club and its owners in the work ahead.

“West Bromwich Albion is a club with its own personality and it is important that everyone we recruit wants to work to that.”

The man he's replacing

Technical director Nick Hammond has left West Bromwich Albion with the club on the brink of relegation.

Hammond ended a 20-year association with Reading when he joined the club in April 2016 at the behest of former manager Tony Pulis.

Many of the players brought to the club since Hammond joined have failed to cut it.

Not least this season, with the Baggies ten points from safety with only five games left - despite splashing a club-record £40 million on players last summer.

Hammond said: “West Bromwich Albion are a great football club which I was honoured to be a part of, great people, great supporters.

“I wish them every success going forward as I move on to future projects.”

The announcement comes during a week in which chief executive Mark Jenkins has held a series of meetings with director Li Piyue.

Li has flown to the UK to discuss the findings of Jenkins’ review into football and commercial operations at the club.

Jenkins said: “We would like to place on record our gratitude for Nick’s efforts during his two years in the role and wish him every success for his future.”

The club will be making an announcement about its restructure plans in due course.