Haaretz is reporting that Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger will replace Lord Jonathan Sacks as the United Kingdom’s chief rabbi, beginning in 2013.

Chief Rabbi Metzger offered Britain’s top rabbinical post

Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger was offered to replace Lord Jonathan Sacks as the United Kingdom’s chief rabbi, Metzger’s office confirmed this week.

According to Metzger’s spokesman, a member of the Anglo-Jewish community “with far-reaching connections to the royal court” offered the prestigious position to the Haifa native.

eJP notes that not only has no official word come from The Chief Rabbinate Trust, but previously they indicated the process would not be complete before early 2013.

Intentional mischief making by Metzger’s court? Stay tuned.

update December 14th: In an article this morning, The Jerusalem Post has this to say:

The United Synagogue of the UK has denied that any offer was made to Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger to fill the position of UK chief rabbi …

“I am taken aback by the suggestion that there has been any kind of ‘offer’ made to anybody in this regard,” said Stephen Pack, president of the United Synagogue, in a statement issued by his office on Tuesday.

“An enormous amount of effort has gone into creating a process that is designed to transparently produce the best possible range of candidates for this world-leading role, and nobody involved in this process has, or could ever, make such an offer,” Pack concluded.