By Pat Murphy
Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers is expected to be confirmed as the new Liverpool boss in the next 48 hours.
The clubs are understood to be discussing compensation for the 39-year-old, with Swansea likely to receive a compensation payment of between £4m and £5m.
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez had been in contention, but attention has since switched back to Rodgers.
It is understood that Liverpool will not now appoint a director of football.
Widespread reports suggested the club were seeking to install a figure such as Johan Cruyff or Louis van Gaal as well as a manager, but it appears Rodgers will now be in sole control.
Liverpool sacked former manager Kenny Dalglish on 16 May after finishing eighth in the Premier League, 17 points from a Champions League qualification spot, despite the Reds winning the League Cup and reaching the final of the FA Cup.
In contrast, Rodgers guided his Swansea side to an impressive first season in the top flight, including a 1-0 win over Liverpool on the final day of the season.
After parting ways with Dalglish, Liverpool embarked on an extensive search for a new manager.
The Reds have been linked not only with Rodgers and Martinez but also former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas, ex-England coach Fabio Capello, and Ajax manager Frank de Boer, among others.
The Northern Irishman declined the opportunity to speak to Liverpool about the vacancy 12 days ago, and instead the club’s hierarchy sought a meeting with Wigan’s Martinez.
But it appears Rodgers was always the preferred candidate, despite Wigan chairman Dave Whelan at one point suggesting his manager had been offered the job at Anfield.
Rodgers’s managerial career began at Watford in 2008 after coaching spells at Reading and Chelsea.
There followed an unhappy period in charge of Reading but, after his appointment as Swansea boss in July 2010, Rodgers guided his Welsh side to promotion to the top flight in May 2011, making Swansea the first Welsh team to reach the Premier League.
