Arsenal are lining up an audacious bid to land Premier League boss Richard Scudamore as their new chief executive.

The 47-year-old is understood to be among three leading contenders on the club's wanted list to replace Keith Edelman, who quit as managing director four weeks ago.

It is not clear if Scudamore can be persuaded to leave the £1million-a-year chief executive post he has held with the League since 1999, but he is certainly held in high regard at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal are in the market for both a chief executive and a chief financial officer following the departure of Edelman and last year's acrimonious split with former vice-chairman David Dein.

City headhunting firm Spencer Stuart have been appointed to assist with the search and senior club figures are keen to fill the top job with someone from a football background.

The club were initially looking for a director of football, but that brief has changed with key director Danny Fiszman now wanting a leader who can also boost their commercial income.

Spencer Stuart are due to report back to the club's board next month with a list of possible candidates which Fiszman and his fellow directors will then narrow down to a shortlist for inter-view. The club do not, however, need consultants to be aware of Scudamore and his capture would be a coup as there are few administrators with a better knowledge of the football industry.

Under his tenure, the Premier League's income has dramatically increased and the former advertising executive has been widely hailed for negotiating record media rights deals, including the latest £2.7billion broadcast bonanza for the League's 20 clubs.

But Scudamore's time at Gloucester Place has not been without troubles. There were calls for him to resign over the bungled handling of the Carloz Tevez affair and the abortive attempt to introduce the "39th step" overseas fixture.

Other names linked with the Arsenal post have included Birmingham City's Karren Brady, London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton and former Chelsea business affairs director Paul Smith.