EXCLUSIVE: Eriksson being lined up by Cardiff chief Tan to replace Mackay

Former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson could be on his way back to the Barclays Premier League after emerging as Cardiff City’s lead candidate to replace Malky Mackay.

Current Cardiff boss Mackay is preparing for a lunchtime game at Liverpool on Saturday, knowing that he is likely to be sacked by owner Vincent Tan over the weekend.

And Sportsmail understands that Swedish coach Eriksson is the man Tan thinks can carry on where Mackay is about to leave off in South Wales.

In demand: Sven-Goran Eriksson is being lined up by Vincent Tan for the Cardiff job

Attempting to help: Cardiff chairman Mehmet Talman (right) is hoping that Mackay will stay until May

Trouble: Tan seems set in his ways after offering the Scot an ultimatum and lining up Eriksson

Contact has already been made with the coach who guided England to the World Cup quarter finals in Japan in 2002 as Tan and his board at Cardiff begin to sound out candidates to take over from their current manager.

Eriksson, who will be 66 in February, is currently coaching Chinese side Guangzhou R&F but would obviously be attracted by a return to the Premier League, especially given the financial difficulties he recently outlined his autobiography.

He last managed in the top flight in England at Manchester City five years ago before being sacked rather unfairly by another eccentric Far East owner, Thaksin Shinawatra. Since then, however, his stock has fallen rather as he ricocheted between jobs as far-reaching as the Mexico and Ivory Coast national teams and lower league English posts at Notts County and Leicester.

Cardiff fans would be sceptical about his appointment but Tan has become aware in recent days that he may struggle to attract a more relevant coach as many possible candidates are unwilling to work for him after the way he has treated Mackay.

In the dark: Cardiff City players arrive at the airport ahead of their flight to Liverpool

Doesn't look good: Mackay was also there, despite not being at the press conference on Friday morning

For example, former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is known to have told friends in Norway that he has misgivings about working for Tan. Solskjaer, currently coach at Molde in his home country, has not ruled out a move completely but he would need to know he could work without interference. One attraction for Eriksson, meanwhile, is the understanding that Tan will give him money to spend on players in the January transfer window, despite Mackay being told recently that he will not be allowed to spend if he stays at the club. Mackay spent last night with his team in a hotel in Merseyside and will lead his players out at Anfield at lunchtime. The Scot remains determined to maintain his dignity and may once again avoid speaking to the media after the game, as he did on Friday morning. Tan flew in to the country from Malaysia on Friday night and has had conversations with chairman Mehmet Dalman, a Mackay ally. Dalman has been trying to persuade Tan to keep Mackay until at least the end of the season. Earlier it had emerged that Tan asked local hero Craig Bellamy to take over as interim boss, a request the former Wales forward turned down.

Sven Goran Eriksson facts

Previous clubs and honours

1977 - Degerfors IF: Division three title 1978

1979 - IFK Goteborg: Allsvenskan 1982, Svenska Cupen 1979, 1982, UEFA Cup 1982

1982 - Benfica: Portuguese Liga 1983, 1984, 1991, Cup of Portugal 1983.

1984 - Roma: Coppa Italia 1986

1987 - Fiorentina 1989 - Benfica 1992 - Sampadoria: Coppa Italia 1994

1997 - Lazio: Serie A 2000, Coppa Italia 1998, 2000, Italian Super Cup 1998, 2000, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1999, UEFA Super Cup 1999

2001 - England 2007 - Manchester City 2008 - Mexico 2009 - Notts County (director of football) 2010 - Ivory Coast 2010 - Leicester City 2012 - BEC Tero (technical director) 2013 - Al Nasr (technical director) 2013 - Guangzhou R&F Sven's estimated net worth: £24million (via TheRichest.com )



Get out: Cardiff fans made their feelings toward Tan clear as their club lurches from one crisis to the next