Zola tops West Ham's wanted list

Gianfranco Zola is the clear favourite to become West Ham manager.

It is understood the club's directors have made Zola their first choice and they are expected to offer him his first job in club management.

Zola is currently working as joint-coach of the Italy under-21 team and he is unlikely to accept the job before their match against Croatia.

Former Italy coach Roberto Donadoni was interviewed for the vacant job but he has ruled himself out of the running.

He said: "I welcomed the opportunity of speaking with such a prominent Premiership club and of course, the opportunity of coming to the English Premiership.

"However, is does appear that the board have not yet, after some time, come to an agreement and a conclusion on who the successful candidate should be. It is important for me to feel that I have the full support of the club and I have therefore taken the decision to withdraw myself from the candidate shortlist for the club."

Kia Joorabchian, who works as an advisor to West Ham, said: "Zola has a lot of experience in the Premier League, he was admired by every fan in the league irrespective of which club they supported.

"He has built a big reputation for himself in Italy. He hasn't Premier League experience as a manager but he understands the Premier League very much.

"They are moving fast. They would like to appoint a new manager before the weekend but it is a process they will consider carefully."

When Alan Curbishley resigned from Upton Park, he hinted the club had sold players without his approval, but may be willing to leave transfer dealings to his employers.

Joorabchian added: "It is a different system, a more European system of working and it will be a manager who will be working under that style in order to minimise and avoid errors which have occurred in the past."

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