Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has reportedly indicated that he is happy to let interim boss Santiago Solari remain in charge until he can lure Mauricio Pochettino away from Tottenham Hotspur.
The European champions sacked manager Julen Lopetegui earlier this week after just four-and-a-half months at the Bernabeu helm.
Solari has since been promoted from his position with the reserve side and has helped to steady the ship somewhat, guiding Los Blancos to back-to-back wins in the Copa del Rey and La Liga.
According to the Daily Mail, the former Madrid player may now keep the job until next summer, as Perez has made landing Pochettino his top long-term priority.
Madrid will not strike a deal with Tottenham in the next week, it is claimed, meaning that they will have to wait until the end of the campaign before negotiating terms.
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is also a surprise rumoured candidate to succeed Lopetegui, five years after leaving the Spanish capital, while Antonio Conte and Leonardo Jardim have been touted as other potential options.