Spanish manager Rafael Benitez may take charge of Russia’s richest club, Anzhi Makhachkala.
According to Spanish Marca newspaper, a first round of talks took place in London on Saturday.
Benitez has been jobless since December 2010 when he was fired from Inter Milan after only half a year with the club.
The 51-year-old coach has had brighter pages in his career. He won two Spanish La Liga titles with Valencia, and led Liverpool to a historic triumph in the 2003/04 Champions League, with his men coming from three goals down to top Milan in the final.
Anzhi have been trying to find a new manager for their star-studded squad since they parted company with Gadzhi Gadzhiev back in September.
At the moment, the duo of Andrey Gordeev and legendary Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos are in charge of the team as caretaker coaches.
Former Russia and Turkey coach Guss Hiddink, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and fellow Frenchman Didier Deschamps, who heads Marseille, have been also linked with the Makhachkala job recently.