Eriksson may combine new club job with role as coach of Jamaica

Sven Goran Eriksson hopes to finalise a deal this week for a return to club management - and is considering combining the job with coaching Jamaica.

The Independent revealed earlier this month that Eriksson was to be approached by the Jamaican Football Federation who are prepared to pay up to £3m-a-year for the right candidate in an effort to qualify for the World Cup finals in 2010. Initial talks have taken place and Eriksson is understood to be keen on the idea but wants to secure his future in club football first. He will then have to ascertain whether his new club would be willing for him to combine the two posts.

Eriksson has received a number of offers since it was announced that he would be stepping down as England coach after the World Cup and had been linked to the coach's job in South Africa , although that appears likely to be going to the Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Eriksson's agent, Athole Still, recently claimed that the Swede had turned down one "Champions' League club" in Europe and confirmed that the Jamaicans had been in touch.

It is unclear whether the club Eriksson is now linked with is in England or, as is more likely, in either Spain, Italy or Portugal.

Eriksson has made plain that he wants to go back into club management after six years with England but is hoping to combine the job with the Jamaican post. It would seem an unlikely move but the Jamaicans are serious in their approach and have secured funding from their government who recognise the value of reaching the finals, for sporting and economics reasons, especially as they are being held for the first time in Africa.

An original shortlist was drawn up, which included John Gregory, and from it the former England international John Barnes, who was born in Jamaica, become the front-runner.

But after this summer's World Cup the Jamaicans decided to aim for a higher-profile manager. Eriksson now heads a shortlist which also includes Glenn Hoddle, who recently left Wolverhampton Wanderers, Jose Pekerman, who resigned as Argentina coach after the World Cup, and Foppe de Haan, the highly respected Dutch Under-21s coach.