Rene Meulensteen in pole position for Crystal Palace manager's job as Aitor Karanka heads for Middlesbrough

Aitor Karanka will be unveiled as the new Middlesbrough manager on Wednesday (Getty Images)

Crystal Palace are in negotiations with the former Manchester United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen as they close in on appointing a successor to Ian Holloway.

The Dutchman is in pole position to take over at Selhurst Park after the news that previous bookmakers' favourite Aitor Karanka will be unveiled as the new Middlesbrough manager at a press conference on Wednesday morning.

Instead, Palace have turned their attention to Meulensteen, who had three spells at Old Trafford as a youth-team and reserve coach before being promoted to first-team duties.

The 49-year-old had looked set to become technical director for the Qatar FA but his agent, Fons van den Brande, confirmed that he had decided against taking up the post.

"There is a lot going on, that's all I can say. But I can confirm that he definitely will not be going to Qatar," Van den Brande said. "I have orders to say nothing else. There's a lot of negotiations going on at this moment so we will have to see what happens in the next few days."