Cardiff City hope to announce their new manager this week, with Charlton Athletic boss Nathan Jones still in contention.
The Bluebirds are looking for a ninth manager in four years as they prepare for life in League One following their relegation from the Championship this season.
After a sub-committee compiled a shortlist of around six, chairman Mehmet Dalman and chief executive Ken Choo have spoken to the candidates and presented their recommendations to owner Vincent Tan, who will have the final say.
Jones has been a leading contender since Cardiff sacked previous manager Omer Riza in April, but hiring the Welshman would mean having to pay Charlton a significant compensation fee.
Matters are further complicated by the fact Jones led the Addicks to promotion to the Championship last month, meaning they will start next season a division above Cardiff.
But Jones is a lifelong Bluebirds fan and has spoken openly about his desire to manage the club one day.
Des Buckingham and Ian Evatt, former bosses of Oxford United and Bolton Wanderers respectively, have both been interviewed.
Cardiff have also held talks with Leicester City assistant coach Brian Barry-Murphy and Wales captain Aaron Ramsey, who took charge of the Welsh club’s final three games of this season on a caretaker basis.
But Ruben Selles, who was considered for the job when Cardiff sacked Erol Bulut last year, has ruled himself out as he wants to stay in the Championship following his recent dismissal by Hull City.
Sources have indicated to BBC Sport Wales that some board members would like to see Tan appoint an experienced manager with a proven track record at this level, such as Jones or Buckingham, who led Oxford to promotion from League One last season.
Others would favour a different route, with ex-Manchester City academy coach Barry-Murphy and Ramsey still in the frame.
Ramsey, whose Cardiff contract expires this summer, has still not decided whether or not he will continue playing next season.
The 34-year-old former Arsenal midfielder enjoyed his brief stint in charge of his boyhood club, where he was assisted by his ex-Cardiff and Wales team-mate Chris Gunter among others.
If Cardiff were to choose Ramsey or Barry-Murphy, whose only managerial experience came at Rochdale between 2019 and 2021, it has been suggested the club would need to revamp its structure.
The Bluebirds have been heavily criticised for their perceived lack of football knowledge at board level, with fans and former players calling on Tan to appoint a sporting director or someone of similar standing between the head coach and the board.
