Derek McInnes has turned down the opportunity to take charge of Sunderland and will instead remain as Aberdeen boss, the Scottish Premiership club have announced.
McInnes had held talks with the recently-relegated Black Cats, who are in the market for a new manager after David Moyes left following a poor season which saw them finish bottom of the Premier League.
But now chief executive Martin Bain will have to go back to the drawing board as McInnes opted to stay on at Pittodrie.
McInnes guided the Dons to a third successive second-placed finish, although they were a distant 30 points behind runaway champions Celtic.