Santini is wanted by the TFF to lead the Carthage Eagles

Tunisia have approached Frenchman Jacques Santini to take over as the new coach of the national side.

The 55-year-old will be offered a contract in the next few days, the state-run La Presse newspaper said.

Santini won France's Ligue 1 with Olympique Lyon in 2002 and had a brief spell at English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in 2004.

The move follows a breakdown in talks with the previous candidate, Etoile du Sahel's French coach Bertrand Marchand.

Marchand had been named by the Tunisian Football Federation (TFF) as their preferred choice, after he had led Etoile to the African Champions League title, but personal terms could not be agreed.

The Tunisia job became vacant after the decision not to renew the contract of another former France manager Roger Lemerre, who had been in the post for almost six years.

The new coach will have just weeks to prepare before the Carthage Eagles start their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.

They play four Group Nine games in June against Burkina Faso, the Seychelles and Burundi, who they face twice.