Australian Jarred Gillett is among five EFL referees being interviewed for promotion to the Premier League this summer.
If successful, the 34-year-old will become the first overseas referee in Premier League history.
Sources expect Gillett to win elevation to the top flight given his experience as a FIFA international official and his impressive performances since arriving in England in 2019.
He has been studying at Liverpool’s John Moores University, where he was appointed a post-doctoral researcher in cerebral palsy.
We understand the other four candidates are Tony Harrington, John Brooks, Michael Salisbury and Keith Stroud.