Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, still under contract at Manchester City, was billed Wednesday as the favourite to coach Mexico ahead of the South Africa 2010 World Cup, amid conflicting reports.
"We already took our pick with Eriksson," Mexican Football Federation (FMF) president Justino Compean said Tuesday, the dpa reported.
On Wednesday, the Mexican daily El Universal said that the Swede "is taking control of the ship." It noted that the name chosen by FMF officials is yet to be approved by Mexican club presidents, but insisted that "what is to come are mere questions of protocol, everything is planned and dated."
In an interview with Mexico's Estadio W from Sydney, Compean said that "the name of the person finally chosen will be announced on June 2."
However, the daily Reforma quoted Eriksson's agent Athole Still as saying that "there is nothing."
"He is an employee of Manchester City Football Club. Until his contract with Manchester City expires he cannot talk to anyone," Still told the daily in an interview.
Eriksson himself was interviewed by the Mexican sports daily Esto, but said simply that his contract with Manchester City is "still valid."
In mid-May, CNN en Espanol said Eriksson had reached a preliminary 9-million-dollar deal to coach Mexico.
Eriksson, 60, coached England from 2001 to 2006. In 2007 he joined Manchester City on a three-year contract. However, there have been insistent reports that he is on his way out of the club after just one season.
Mexico was coached by national football legend Hugo Sanchez since 2006. However, Sanchez was fired in March following poor results including the U23 side's failure to obtain a spot at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Interim coach Jesus Ramirez is currently at the helm.