Kim Hellberg's impressive Middlesbrough reign thus far has seen him linked with a Premier League job

Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg has been linked with the Crystal Palace job after they reportedly sacked Pierre Sage.

Palace are rock bottom of the Premier League with just seven points after 10 games. Sage has won five games in all competitions, including a 3-0 victory over Boro in the Carabao Cup at Selhurst Park, but the Sun claim he's now been axed following their 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at the weekend.

Having done such a stellar job at the Riverside, Hellberg is naturally going to be in conversations about making the step up from the Championship. And according to Sky Sports, he's on Palace's shortlist of seven possible replacements.

The leading candidate is former Brentford and Tottenham boss Thomas Frank. He's been out of work since he was sacked by Spurs earlier this year.

Other free agent contenders include Sean Dyche and Vitor Pereira. Coventry City manager Frank Lampard, Swansea City boss Vitor Matos and Australia head coach Tony Popovic round out the reported options.

Hellberg has his side sitting second in the Championship after 15 games played. They're heavily fancied to earn promotion this season after losing the play-off final to Hull City last season.

But Hellberg's men had a winless week heading into the second international break of the season. After suffering defeat away at Wrexham, Boro could only manage to take a point back to the North East from Watford on Saturday.

The two goalless performances came after star striker Will Lankshear was ruled out with what Hellberg hopes is only a short-term hamstring issue.

The Swedish boss is nearing a year in charge of Boro after replacing Rob Edwards last November.