Paul Jewell would have become one of the best-paid managers outside the top four of the Barclays Premier League if he had accepted Wigan Athletic’s lucrative offer to return to the club.

Dave Whelan, the chairman, is understood to have offered Jewell a signing-on bonus of £2 million in addition to a contract worth about £40,000 a week in an attempt to lure the club’s former manager back to the JJB Stadium, but the Liverpudlian has rejected the club he left in May just 24 hours after steering them to top-flight safety.

Joe Royle, the former Everton and Manchester City manager, and Graeme Souness, the former Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United manager, are now the front-runners to take over, but Whelan, who is not due back from a working holiday in Barbados until early next week, is keeping an open mind after Jewell’s snub. An appointment should be made before the league visit to Arsenal on Saturday week.

Whelan was never thought to be very optimistic about his chances of persuading Jewell back but had been encouraged by the 43-year-old’s claim last week that he would listen to “any offers” that came his way and was hopeful that the incentive of a big financial package would seal the deal.

Jewell was known to be dismayed by Whelan’s claims, in the wake of his departure as Wigan manager after six years at the helm, that the relegation battle had taken its toll on his family life and health. Having also recently rejected the chance to take over at Bolton Wanderers, he is thought to be holding out for a bigger job.