David Moyes is Charlie Nicholas' choice to be Swansea's next manager after Garry Monk was sacked by the club.
Monk's 22-month spell in charge at the Liberty Stadium was ended when chairman Huw Jenkins relieved him of his duties on Wednesday afternoon.
Brendan Rodgers was the early favourite to replace him but Sky sources understand he is not in the running to return to the club he managed between 2010 and 2012 before moving to Liverpool.
Moyes was initially ranked second in the running by bookmakers while Rangers boss Mark Warburton also featured prominently.
Nicholas would like to see his fellow Scot appointed after he left his role with Spanish side Real Sociedad recently.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "David Moyes' base has always been in Preston. This is the type of situation where if I am David Moyes, you can't hand-pick jobs now.
"It's such a small time-frame for managers. Do you want a football club that's ready to go and you can do something with it and you've a young, vibrant manager who is hungry also?
"Moyes has that and I'd love him to go there. Warburton is doing a fine job at Rangers but he's still unproven at the top level.
"Going into Swansea, you're inheriting a fantastically-run club. Whoever is going to get this gig is getting an absolutely wonderful opportunity to really cement this quite quickly.
"[Huw Jenkins has] probably got somebody in mind he wants to bring in quickly. His comments yesterday to Sky Sports News HQ, where he said something has to change, were an indicator."
Nicholas admits he expected Monk's dismissal after their 3-0 home defeat to Leicester on Saturday left them without a win in five games.
The former Arsenal and Celtic striker added: "I thought the writing was on the wall after the weekend.
"Garry did a fantastic job last season - much better than I thought he would - but this season it has been quite a strange fall.
"There has been such a lack of goals and a lack of fight so he must be disappointed. His credibility was very high when he was Swansea manager but the last eight to 10 weeks have been poor."