BBC Oxford understand that fellow Division Four side Northampton Town are interested in making Oxford United boss Chris Wilder their new manager at Sixfields.

The Cobblers, who sit rock-bottom of the league table with just five league victories to their name, have been without a manager since sacking Aidy Boothroyd back in December.

It is understood the club have made contact with the Oxford manager, although neither club would confirm this.

Northampton have also called Newport County boss Justin Edinburgh about their managerial vacancy, but Edinburgh reportedly rejected the chance to speak to the club on Thursday.

Wilder, whose contract at the Kassam Stadium expires this summer, took this morning’s training session as per usual but declined to take the pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s game at home to Torquay United.

Instead assistant manager Mickey Lewis was sent to answer the media and when asked of who would be in charge for Saturday’s match against the Gulls, he replied: “Chris Wilder. I hope so, yes, that’s all I know and I want that to be the case.”

Former Swindon Town manager Andy King has taken caretaker charge of the Cobblers since Boothroyd was dismissed on 21 December, with Northampton chairman David Cardoza finally ready to appoint a permanent manager.

He revealed on Monday that he had been “talking to one or two people” and “waiting for situations to unfold”. He added that the new boss at Sixfields would be given “significant money” to strengthen the current squad in what remains of the January transfer window.

It’s not the first time the Oxford coach has been approached for other positions as south-coast outfit Portsmouth interviewed Wilder near the end of last year before losing out to ex-Crawley Town boss Richie Barker.

Wilder, 46, first arrived at Grenoble Road back in 2008, helping the Us regain their Football league status after guiding United to a 3-1 Conference play-off final victory over York City at Wembley Stadium.

United currently sit seventh in the Division Four standings, twenty points better off than Northampton.