Crystal Palace chief Steve Parish has refused to comment on reports of talks with Dynamo Moscow coach Dan Petrescu.
Parish is said to have been in Moscow this week for a meeting with the former Chelsea fullback.
But he confirmed he hoped to have a new boss installed by the weekend.
Parish had told Sky Sports: "We're getting closer. It's quite fluid at the moment. It's gone on a lot longer than we thought."
But Dynamo president Gennady Solovev has warned Palace off his coach.
"Dan works for Dynamo. He is not talking about leaving, he is not torn," Solovev told Sovetskiy Sport.
"He is an honest man and there is nothing to hide. Petrescu himself doesn't even himself where the rumours are coming from."
