Laurent Blanc looks the favoured candidate to succeed Jacques Santini as French coach after the former World Cup winner confirmed he had been approached by the French Football Federation (FFF).

“I have been approached by (French Football Federation chairman) Claude Simonet and (French league) chief Frederic Thiriez,” said Blanc.

“They asked me if I was interested in the job. My answer was immediate and it was yes.”

The position became available following Santini’s decision to stand down and join Tottenham Hotspur.

Blanc and former Fulham and Monaco coach Jean Tigana are believed to be on the shortlist to succeed Santini.

Tigana has the backing of Michel Platini, vice-president of the French Football Federation (FFF).

But FFF president Simonet is believed to favour Blanc.

“He could be a good coach. I tell myself that such a candidacy shouldn’t be rejected,” said Simonet.

Simonet seems unconcerned by Blanc’s lack of coaching experience, noting that in 1990, Platini himself was appointed to the post without any previous experience.

“What Michel Platini could do, it seems to me that Laurent Blanc, whose qualities are equally enormous, could maybe also try.

“We can’t discard a dossier like his when you see the success that Didier Deschamps has had with Monaco.”