Arsenal technical director Edu is thought to favour his ex-teammate Patrick Vieira in the search for their next manager following the sacking of Unai Emery.
Vieira is currently in charge of Ligue 1 side Nice, who sit 12th in the table, and he recently refused to rule out a move to the Gunners, telling Canal+ "You know, a club that you spend nine years in, cannot leave you unmoved."
Mikel Arteta, Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto Martinez are among the other names that have been linked to the job, but according to talkSPORT Vieira is Edu's first choice.
The two played together in the early 2000s and were part of the famous Invincibles team which won the league and finished the 2003/2004 season unbeaten.
The Gunners are currently on their worst run since 1977, and have not won their last seven games in the Premier League.
Their attendances have also dropped, with many supporters losing faith in the club, and they announced a £30m loss in matchday revenue for the year ending in May 31 2019.
It is believed that the players do not have much faith in current interim manager Freddie Ljungberg, with none of them speaking out in support of him ahead of their game against West Ham on Monday.
Following their dismal 2-1 loss to Brighton on Thursday Ljungberg said: "The tough part is they looked very short of confidence. They were very scared to get the ball, very scared to move and they were just standing still.
“It's a concern for any coach, a lack of confidence. It’s obvious that nervousness from the home crowd can affect players no matter what quality they have.
"They’re human beings like everyone. They want to do well, and they feel the pressure. We need to just dig out a win to get some confidence.”
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