Former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper and ex-Leeds manager Jesse Marsch were mentioned as potential candidates to take over.

But it is understood Mowbray has a lot of support among the club's hierarchy.

Appointing the 60-year-old would be a radical departure from the process that led to a celebrated figure like Rooney replacing John Eustace in October.

Steve Spooner is currently interim boss at St Andrew's and will be in charge for Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie at Hull City.

But an experienced head is needed after Birmingham plummeted from sixth place to 20th in the Championship under Rooney.

Mowbray has a solid managerial CV and spent five years in charge at Blackburn before being appointed Sunderland boss last season.

He guided the Black Cats to the play-offs, but they were beaten by eventual winners Luton in the semi-final and he was sacked on 4 December after a run of two wins in nine league games.

If appointed by Blues, it would be his third job in the West Midlands, having guided West Brom to the Championship title in 2008 and later led Coventry City for 18 months between March 2015 and September 2016.