Scott Brown emerged last night as the favourite to become St Johnstone’s next manager.
The Saints sacked Craig Levein last week and have also looked at Larne manager Tiernan Lynch and Aberdeen coach Peter Leven.
Brown is the bookmakers’ favourite along with former Raith Rovers manager Ian Murray, and the Perth club now wants permission to speak to the Ayr United manager.
And if talks progress quickly, the Celtic legend could even be present in the technical stand when his old club visit McDiarmid Park this weekend.
Brown, 39, currently leads Ayr in the Championship and only arrived at Somerset Park in January but is keen to get the green light to discuss a move to the Premiership.
Larne manager Lynch, 44, has also been mooted as a candidate after the Northern Irishman won back-to-back league titles in his home country and guided the unpopular County Antrim side into the group stages of this season’s Europa Conference League.
Brown is currently in charge of Ayr United, who he has led to the top of the Championship
The midfielder played for Celtic for 14 years and would relish the chance to coach against them.
Larne boss Tiernan Lynch is another name being considered by the McDiarmid Park club
Leven has also been quoted after impressing during two spells as interim boss at Pittodrie. The 40-year-old is currently assistant coach to Jimmy Thelin.
Falkirk manager John McGlynn and former Saints manager Tommy Wright have also been linked with the post.
Levein, 59, was dropped just five games into the new Premiership campaign with the team in 10th place. The former Scotland manager took over in November last year and has seen off the threat of relegation but has been unable to score this season.
Coaches Andy Kirk and Alex Cleland led the team in the 3-3 draw against Ross County last weekend.
Craig Levein was sacked last week after a poor start to the season
Saints owner Adam Webb announced last week that he is stepping down as club chairman due to his battle with cancer.
The American lawyer, who bought the Perth club from long-term owner Geoff Brown last summer, wrote in an open letter on the club’s website that he has begun chemotherapy and radiation treatment after being diagnosed with head and neck cancer.
Webb stressed that he had been given a “very good” prognosis and promised to help identify a successor to Levein, before handing over responsibilities to new chief executive Fran Smith, who will serve as acting chairman, on doctor’s advice.