Bayern Munich assistant Paul Clement has emerged as Swansea City’s favoured choice to be the club’s next manager.
The former Derby County boss was interviewed for the post back in October but lost out to Bob Bradley, who was sacked after the Boxing Day defeat to West Ham.
But the Swansea board gave Clement serious consideration and were very impressed with his presentation – and they now want to go back in for the renowned coach.
If they are not successful, former Birmingham City boss Gary Rowett, who was sacked earlier this month, is understood to be next on the list.
Former Tottenham, Portsmouth and QPR manager Harry Redknapp is also understood to want the job but Swansea are not planning to approach the veteran manager.
Clement made his name as an academy coach, then first-team coach and assistant manager at Chelsea, working under Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti, whom he followed as assistant to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
He linked up again with Ancelotti at Bayern last summer after he was sacked by Derby, despite the team sitting in fifth place in the Championship.
Wales boss Chris Coleman had initially emerged as the favourite to succeed Bradley, alongside Ryan Giggs.
But unless there is a dramatic change of heart on Coleman’s side it looks as if the 46-year-old will reject the overtures of his home town club and stay at the helm of Wales’ 2018 World Cup campaign.
Coleman, who played nearly 200 games for Swansea at the start of his career, has huge affection for the club.
But he has said in the past that he never wanted to manage Swansea because of the difficulties it would cause for his family who still live in the city.
And Coleman’s television presenter wife Charlotte appeared to endorse that when she tweeted, in response to a suggestion she could be moving to the Mumbles: “The mumbles are lovely but my husband has said publicly after Wales we would hopefully move abroad – but good luck to Swansea !”
Swansea will consider their options before taking the next step, although they are still hopeful of having Bradley’s replacement in place before Tuesday’s trip to Crystal Palace.
Before then, Swansea – who are 19th in the Premier League and four points adrift of safety – will entertain Bournemouth on Saturday with first-team coach Alan Curtis in charge.
“It has to be the right man,” Curtis said of the next appointment. “Ideally he would be British and have Premier League experience.
“(The owners) have to be satisfied he fills all the criteria for getting us out of the trouble we find ourselves in.
“I think it’s immediate. Somebody has got to get us out of trouble.”
On his own challenge, Curtis added: “It is a game-by-game basis.
“We have picked the team for the weekend and we concentrate on that game.”
