BRAZIL legend Zico has emerged as favourite to boss Manchester City.
Owner Thaksin Shinawatra's advisors are making huge efforts to lure Zico, 55, to Eastlands as the replacement for Sven Goran Eriksson, who will finally be sacked tomorrow.
Zico's coaching contract with Turkish club Fenerbahce runs out next month and he has already indicated that he will not be renewing it.
Now Shinawatra is pulling out all the stops to get Zico, who is home in Brazil.
Strong
Mark Hughes, Avram Grant and Phil Scolari are also in the frame but Shinawatra believes it is the Brazilian who can win back City fans disgruntled by the dismissal of Eriksson.
The City owner recently appointed Brazilian coach Roberto Carlos de Carvalho as the club's international youth development chief and he has strong links to Zico.
And Shinawatra is also still chasing Brazilian ace Ronaldhino, whose brother Roberto de Assis was back in Thailand last week for further discussions.
The signing of Ronaldhino from Barcelona would be another strong attraction for Zico, who is ready to have detailed talks with the Shinawatra camp.
The star of Brazil's 1980s team is a wanted man after his success in the Champions League last season, when he led the Turkish club to the quarter-finals.
They were narrowly beaten over two legs by Chelsea but he proved he had the wit and tactical nous to compete on the biggest stage.
It is those qualities plus Shinawatra's fascination with all things South American which has seen him installed as job favourite.
City sources believe an approach will be made by the end of the week with talks planned when Zico flies in to Manchester.
Bonus
His arrival would appease City diehards who showed their support for Eriksson and condemned Shinawatra for the haste he showed in undermining and ultimately elbowing their manager.
Shinawatra has to do something quickly with supporters growing restless after skipper Richard Dunne's transfer to Portsmouth moved a step closer and fears that he will be followed out of Eastlands by the likes of Michael Johnson.
Eriksson's fate was sealed with last week's arrival of former Nike executive Gary Cook as executive chairman.
And one of the main reasons was the Swede's insistence on a £500,000 bonus for qualifying for Europe.
Eriksson argued he was due the payment even though City qualified for the UEFA Cup through the Fair Play and not by winning the FA Cup or via a League position.
His insistence on fighting for the bonus irritated the Thai owner, who already had serious doubts about Eriksson.
The pair continued to bicker until Shinawatra finally lost patience.
He agreed to pay a percentage of the bonus as part of Eriksson's compensation package, which was finalised last night.
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If true i wish the guy all the best, Like my text under my sig boyhood hero, 80's legend, So dont be asking me to change my avatar & sig 
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