Crystal Palace are moving towards appointing Thomas Frank as their new manager after dismissing Pierre Sage, with the former Tottenham and Brentford coach expected to be in charge for next weekend's trip to Coventry.
An agreement has not yet been completed, but the expectation among sources close to the club is that Frank will take over at Selhurst Park. The Dane was already considered by Palace during the summer, when they were searching for a successor to Oliver Glasner.
The club instead appointed Sage on a three-year contract, but his tenure lasted only 16 matches. Palace's 3-1 defeat by Liverpool left them bottom of the Premier League, and the Frenchman was dismissed on Thursday after winning just two of his 10 league fixtures.
Frank has been without a club since leaving Tottenham in February. His previous work at Brentford, however, remains highly regarded after he guided the west London side into the Premier League and established them as a competitive top-flight team.
During his time at Brentford, Frank achieved promotion and then kept the club in the division despite operating with one of the league's smaller budgets. The Bees also developed into contenders for European qualification during his tenure.
His record at Tottenham was less successful, with the club dragged into a relegation battle before his departure. Palace nevertheless see the experience he gained at Brentford as an attractive qualification for the job.
The immediate challenge will be to lift a side that has struggled badly in the opening weeks of the campaign. Palace have won only twice in 10 league matches and have lost their last four, with the defeat against Liverpool leaving them at the foot of the table.
Back-to-back fixtures against newly promoted Coventry and Hull are expected to provide Frank with his first opportunities to change the club's direction, should the appointment be completed.
Palace had also considered Frank when Glasner's departure was being planned in the summer, but opted for Sage, who had arrived from Lens after winning the Coupe de France and securing Champions League qualification.
The club's latest change of direction comes with the season already in danger of becoming a relegation fight. Frank's task would be to restore stability and build on the foundations of his successful Brentford spell.