The new president of Russian football"s...

Former Zenit St. Petersburg president Sergei Fursenko is the clear favorite to take over as head of the Russian Football Union (RFU). Russian media reports suggest that Fursenko is unwilling to continue paying Hiddink wages in excess of $5 million a year.

Hiddink has been linked with a number of clubs, including Liverpool and Juventus, since Russia failed to make the 2010 World Cup, but has said he will wait until the RFU elects a new head before deciding on his future. Despite his failure to get Russia through the qualifiers, Hiddink was earlier offered a new contract up until Euro 2012. His current deal runs out this summer.

The previous RFU head, Vitaly Mutko, stepped down late last year after President Dmitry Medvedev said that the organization should not be headed by a political figure. Mutko has served as sport, tourism and youth minister in the government since May 2008.

If Fursenko comes out on top in Wednesday"s vote by RFU delegates, his links with Gazprom

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