QPR plan to approach Burton Albion for permission to speak to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink next week.
The former Chelsea striker, 43, is keen to return to London and wants to take over at Loftus Road, where Neil Warnock is currently in interim charge.
Dutchman Hasselbaink, whose playing career also included spells at Leeds, Middlesbrough and Charlton, has spent a year as Burton boss.
He previously spent a year as manager of Belgian club Royal Antwerp, where he rejected a new contract in order to pursue jobs in England.
Burton won the League Two title under Hasselbaink last season and are currently third in the League One table.
He took over from Gary Rowett, who left to join Birmingham City and has been targeted by QPR but has been lined up for the vacant managerial job at Fulham.
Rangers have spoken to several out-of-work managers, including Chris Powell, who was recently sacked by Huddersfield, and remain in contact with other potential candidates.
However, Hasselbaink has emerged as their preferred choice now that Rowett appears to be out of their reach.
A number of current Championship managers were also briefly considered, including MK Dons’ Karl Robinson, but QPR’s owners, who will make the final decision on an appointment, were unenthused and Hasselbaink is in pole position.
He is set to meet Ruben Gnanalingam next week when the Rangers co-chairman is due to be in London.
This post was last modified on 28/11/2015
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It would be a huge gamble on Hasselbaink. Credit to him for going to Burton but he has inherited a winning side. There are countless managers in the lower leagues who are long overdue a chance. If you really want to gamble I personally would give the job to Hogan Ephraim, a man of exciting insights and a lot of spare time.