The Football Association was in Lisbon yesterday for talks with Portugal boss Luiz Felipe Scolari - the Brazilian now first choice ahead of Middlesbrough's Steve McClaren to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England coach.
FA chief executive Brian Barwick and lawyer Simon Johnson are understood to have met the Brazilian after being granted permission by the Portuguese FA.
Scolari, out of contract after the World Cup finals, has tried to distance himself from speculation linking him to the England job.
But he appears to have leapt ahead of the other candidates on the shortlist after at least one member of the selection panel changed his mind about wanting a British manager to replace Eriksson.
Last week, the FA claimed it had completed its interview process but Barwick's trip to Portugal seems to back claims members were unable to reach a decision.
The FA board is due to meet again next Thursday and had hoped to be in a position to finalise its selection by then.
Scolari, whose case has been championed by Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein, would prefer not to make anything public until after the World Cup.
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