Defending Thai League 1 champions SCG Muang Thong United said they are ready to extend coach Totchtawan Sripan's contract for another two years, brushing aside speculation that former national team boss Kiatisak Senamuang is set to take over the club's reins next year.
Reports have suggested that the new deal may be worth 15 million baht a year for Totchtawan, making him the highest paid coach in the top flight.
Muang Thong United chairman Viluck Lohthong said yesterday: "We are ready to extend the contract of our coach Totchtawan Sripan for another two years beginning 2018 after his contract expires at the end of this year."
Totchtawan, a former national team midfielder and a contemporary of Kiatisak, is the only second Thai coach of the team after Attapol Bussapakom, who helped the Kirins win their first league title in 2009.
Totchtawan was successful in his first season with Muang Thong, guiding them to their fourth league crown and ending a three-year dry spell last term.
Meanwhile, Kiatisak, better known to the local fans as "Zico", who last week quit as Thai League 1 side Port's coach, is being targeted by Indonesian league giants Persib Bandung.
According to the Indonesian media, Umuh Muchtar, the Persib Bandung manager, has confirmed that his club is keen to sign Kiatisak as the coach next year.
Kiatisak was in the Indonesian resort of Bali over the weekend to receive the best Asean coach of the year from the Asean Football Federation (AFF).
"He quit because the team [Port] did not win for seven matches. That is impossible," said Muchtar.
"Anything can happen and his latest result doesn't mean that he is not good. This year we may not have him but next year we may have him with the team.
"Right now, we have to talk with the board first and wait. Next year, we might see him here."
Kiatisak has also received interest from the Vietnamese Football Federation (VFF), according to media reports. But the former Thailand coach has refused to take up the job as he wants to finish his pro licence coaching course first.
Kiatisak will take up the four-stage AFC Professional Coaching Diploma Course training, which is scheduled to begin in January.