Pantaloni, 59, left Lorient at the end of his contract this summer and is now described by French outlet L'Equipe as the clear favourite for the Nice job. The vacancy was created by the departure of Claude Puel, who had taken interim charge of Nice in December.
Nice's hierarchy initially explored a move for Rosenior, the former Chelsea head coach who left Stamford Bridge in April after just over three months in the role. Rosenior, 41, took charge of Chelsea in January following the departure of Enzo Maresca, arriving from sister club Strasbourg as part of an ownership structure that links the two clubs.
His time at Chelsea ended after a run of five consecutive Premier League defeats without scoring, with the club confirming his exit after a 3-0 loss to Brighton. Chelsea have since appointed Xabi Alonso as their new head coach on a four-year contract beginning 1 July.
According to L'Equipe, Rosenior was approached by Nice but declined the offer, with the 41-year-old said to be seeking a short break following his exit from Chelsea. Nice had also considered other candidates before turning to Pantaloni, including France women's national team coach Laurent Bonadei and former Monaco boss Sebastien Pocognoli.
Neither of those names is reported to have convinced the Nice hierarchy, leaving Pantaloni as the leading option. The appointment comes at an unsettled time for the French club, with reports of a prospective American takeover having recently fallen through. Ownership group INEOS remain in control of Nice for now, with vice-president Maurice Cohen overseeing football matters in the interim.
Geoffrey Moncada, currently under contract with AC Milan until the end of June, is expected to join Nice shortly afterwards as sporting director.
Pantaloni's most recent role was at Lorient, where he had been head coach since 2024 after a lengthy spell in charge of Ajaccio. He guided Lorient to a 10th-place finish in Ligue 1 last season, their first campaign back in the top flight after promotion. As a player, Pantaloni came through the youth ranks at Nice before spells with Bastia, Saint-Etienne and Ajaccio, among others.
Nice finished 16th in Ligue 1 last season, a campaign overshadowed by unrest among supporters and a managerial change midway through the year. Puel had returned for a second spell in charge of the club in December, having previously managed Nice between 2012 and 2016.
For Nice, the appointment of Pantaloni would offer some clarity after a turbulent off-season, with a head coach now seemingly in place ahead of preparations for the new campaign.
Whether Pantaloni can be confirmed quickly may depend on formalities being finalised between the two parties, though L'Equipe's reporting suggests an announcement is close. The coming days are likely to bring further clarity on Nice's plans, both in the dugout and in the boardroom, as the club looks to settle into a period of relative stability after a chaotic year.