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West Bromwich Albion have identified Slaven Bilic as their preferred candidate to take over as manager, according to reports.

Sky Sports reports that the former West Ham United and Croatia boss has become the club’s first-choice for the job.

Bilic was interviewed for the position on Tuesday evening and impressed Baggies chiefs, who have been carefully weighing up their options since the end of the season.

He has now overtaken the likes of Chris Hughton, Chris Wilder and Bruno Labbadia in Albion’s thinking.

Albion want to appoint a new boss by the middle of June, giving him enough time to prepare for pre-season training which resumes on June 24.

Bilic, 50, is currently out of work having left his post as manager of Saudi Professional League side Al-Ittihad in February after five months on charge.

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He is best known as manager in England for a two-year spell in charge of West Ham between 2015 and 2017.

He led the Hammers to a seventh-place finish in his first season in charge, setting new records for the highest numbers of points and most goals scored by the side in the Premier League era.

An 11th-place finish followed in the next campaign before Bilic was sacked in November 2017.

Bilic has also managed his national side as well as the likes of Lokomotiv Moscow and Besiktas, and turned out for West Ham and Everton in the Premier League in his playing days.

Albion placed Jimmy Shan in caretaker charge following Darren Moore's sacking in March before losing to Aston Villa in the Championship play-offs.