The Football Association have reportedly offered the England manager's job to current Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

The man who guided Brazil to World Cup success four years ago is out of contract with Portugal in the summer and has emerged as the leading contender to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Morning press reports suggest that FA chief executive Brian Barwick and lawyer Simon Johnson met the Brazilian in Lisbon after being granted permission by the Portuguese FA to talk to Scolari.

Scolari took charge of Brazil in the summer of 2001 and a year later guided them to World Cup glory in Japan, beating England 2-1 in the quarter-finals on the way.

He moved on to take charge of Portugal in December 2002 and led the hosts to the final of the 2004 European Championships, where they were beaten 1-0 by Greece.

Again Scolari's side put paid to England, winning a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals.