Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric hopes to secure a deal before next week for the next manager at Fratton Park after revealing Neil Warnock and Alex McLeish as targets.
Sheffield United will be offered a package for Warnock, while Pompey are still waiting for permission to speak to Rangers boss McLeish, who has endured a wretched domestic season but is within sight of the Champions League knockout stages.
Mandaric has also had an approach for Crystal Palace's Iain Dowie turned down and has the option of bringing Bobby Robson out of retirement after a year out of the game.
Mandaric said: "We know Neil is there and I hope we will be able to put that package to him and Sheffield United if he remains to be out number one. If not, equally there are two or three other people and we'll look at that in the next 24-48 hours.
"I want this decision to be made at the end of this week and no later than the first part of next week."
While Mandaric wants the deal completed as soon as possible, he would be prepared to wait for Warnock to take charge if the Blades boss wanted to be at the helm for the derby clash with Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend.
"If it's Neil, what is another game," Mandaric told Sky Sports News. "It's a game against Manchester United, a big game. But if Sheffield United say to us 'yes, we'll put together a deal' and if Neil and my board decide this is what we want to do then there's not much problem in waiting another weekend."
