Nigel Adkins has been tipped by bookmakers to return to Wigan Athletic as manager.
The 50-year-old, who spent seven years with the Latics during his playing career, is out of work after being sacked by Reading in December.
Wigan are looking for a new boss after parting company with Malky Mackay on Monday evening after just 138 days and 24 games in charge.
The North-West outfit are eight points adrift of safety in the Championship table with five games left to play this season.
Bookmakers have installed Adkins as the early favourite to attempt to steer them away from the League One trapdoor.
Adkins has experience in the second tier, having guided Scunthorpe United to a 20th-place finish in 2010 and Southampton to promotion in 2012.
Former Wigan coach Graeme Jones and Paul Jewell, who took the Latics into the Premier League back in 2006, are also in the running.
Hibernian boss Alan Stubbs has also been linked with the Wigan job.
Steven Toplis
