Manchester United's appointment of a caretaker manager until the end of the season is reaching its conclusion, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer due to have face-to-face talks about a return to the club on Saturday.
It is understood former midfielder and ex-Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick, the other frontrunner for the role, has already met United chiefs.
United want an appointment before next weekend's Manchester derby.
Club sources have said they regard both men as number one managers in their own right rather than as part of a team, even though the pair worked together following Jose Mourinho's departure in 2018.
Norwegian Solskjaer was appointed in similar circumstances when Mourinho left the club and was given the role permanently in March 2019 after a successful run of results.
The former striker led the club to the Europa League final but was sacked in November 2021 after a poor run of form. He most recently managed Besiktas in Turkey but was sacked in August after losing in the play-offs for both the Europa and Conference League.
In the meantime, Darren Fletcher will continue in interim charge.
