Sports media rights executive David Kogan is close to being named as the government’s preferred choice as chair of the English football’s new independent regulator.
Senior sources have told BBC Sport that ministers hope to make an announcement in the coming days, and possibly as early as Friday.
If chosen, Kogan would then have to face MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport select committee next month in a confirmation hearing.
The Football Governance Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament after being reintroduced by the Labour government in October, will establish a first independent regulator for the professional men’s game in England.
The legislation will hand power to a body independent from government and football authorities to oversee clubs in England’s top five divisions.
A former BBC journalist and a director of the Women’s Sports Group, Kogan helped negotiate a rights deal for the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship last year.
He was the Premier League’s media rights advisor from 1998 to 2015. He also has close links to the Labour party, having written two books about them, and having made a number of donations to the party’s candidates.
English Football League chairman Rick Parry has been an advocate for an independent regulator, but the Premier League fears it could impact on competitiveness and investment.
The Conservative party, however, has criticised the appointment of a Labour donor.
Shadow sports minister Louie French accused the government of “installing one of their key cronies at the helm of what should be an independent regulator”.
“This deeply political appointment calls into question the regulator’s ability to operate with the impartiality fans deserve,” he added.
Labour sources have dismissed the claim and say the Tories are “smearing” a “highly qualified, respected candidate”.
