Slavisa Jokanovic was interviewed for the vacant Middlesbrough job on Wednesday, Sky Sports News understands.
Middlesbrough are looking for a successor to Tony Pulis who left the Riverside Stadium at the end of his contract last week, after 18 months in charge.
The former Watford and Fulham boss is not the only manager Boro are considering, with first-team coach Jonathan Woodgate is also in the running.
Jokanovic has been out of football since being sacked by Fulham in November 2018.
Middlesbrough missed out on the Sky Bet Championship play-offs this season in their second campaign in England's second tier, after relegation from the Premier League in May 2017.
Former Boro boss Aitor Karanka refused to rule out going back to the club in the future in an interview to Sky Sports, prior to Pulis' departure.