Former England coach Steve McClaren is favourite for the Wigan Athletic job.
The Daily Star says he has edged closer to a shock return to management after Wigan scrapped a move for Gus Poyet.
Chairman Dave Whelan has whittled his list down to two after refusing to pay the £1.7m compensation fee written into Poyet's Brighton contract.
Instead Whelan is set to appoint ex-England boss McClaren or former Bolton chief Owen Coyle.