Fabio Capello is expected to fly to London by private jet this morning to thrash out the deal that will lead to him becoming the first Italian manager of England. A salary of about £5 million a year and his backroom staff are the main issues for fine-tuning, although the former AC Milan and Real Madrid coach has already made it plain to the FA that he wants the job.

Capello, who was in Madrid yesterday to retrieve some belongings, has cleared his diary and will not work as a television pundit at tonight’s Champions League match between AS Roma and Manchester United so that he can travel to England.

The FA is confident that there will be no last-minute hitches - or a need to summon Marcello Lippi, Capello’s compatriot and another candidate to succeed Steve McClaren – having already held telephone conversations with the Capello camp. His previous salary at Madrid was about £4 million after tax, which should not come as too much of a shock to the governing body given that Sven-Göran Eriksson finished on more than £3 million net. A 2½year deal, including the 2010 World Cup finals, is likely for the new head coach, but the contract may include options for Euro 2012.

The backroom staff will need resolving, although Capello and the FA are said to be happy to listen to each other’s proposals. Capello worked at Roma and Real with Franco Baldini, an English speaker who could act as his chief scout. The involvement of Gianfranco Zola as coach has also been discussed.

The FA may want an English presence, although it seems pointless to make a token gesture. Perhaps Stuart Pearce, the England Under21 head coach, could be involved with the seniors where possible, but there is little to be gained by asking Alan Shearer to collect balls and move cones.

As for the selection of players, the Italian would brook no pressure from Soho Square. Suggestions that some FA board members would like to see John Terry relieved of the England captaincy because of negative off-field publicity would meet short shrift if Capello decided that the Chelsea defender was his chosen leader.

Capello, 61, has been hailed as a sound appointment by leading Barclays Premier League managers. Arsène Wenger had previously said that the FA should look to an Englishman; yesterday he suggested that Capello’s only problem might be the language. “Capello is a strong character,” the Arsenal manager said. “He has a clear idea of what he wants. He’s a strong winner. The quality of the candidate is outstanding. The only problem he could have is that I don’t know how good his English is.”

Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, said: “To manage a national team you have to be a certain age, with plenty of experience, with a presence and a CV that is indisputable, and Capello has all that. Everyone in England would prefer [an English candidate]. But the most important criteria is a manager who is going to be successful.”

Capello is represented by his son, Pier Filippo, a lawyer. He is also expected in England and Capello could be appointed by the end of the week if talks progress as expected.

Zola, the former Chelsea player, has added his support, perhaps in the hope of joining the Italian regime, whose first match would be against Switzerland at Wembley on February 6. “Even when José Mourinho [the former Chelsea manager] was in the running, I believed that Capello had even more charisma, talent and experience for a challenging job like this one,” Zola said.

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