Senior figures in European football want former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to stand as a surprise candidate against Gianni Infantino for the presidency of Fifa, BBC Sport has reported.

The suggestion comes as the Fifa Council meets in Zurich on Thursday for the first time since Infantino's Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme – a failed plan to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup to private investors – plunged world football's governing body into crisis.

Despite the backlash, which prompted calls from football leaders in Europe, North America and Asia for him to step down, Infantino still looks likely to be re-elected unopposed for a fourth and final term next year.

An awkward position

Wenger, 76, has been Fifa's chief of global football development since 2019 – which means he would be challenging his own boss.

There is no sign in Zurich that he is plotting a bid. On Wednesday evening he joined Infantino and other council members for dinner in the city, and as a senior member of Fifa's management team he will attend Thursday's meeting. Fifa did not comment when asked about his intentions, and those close to him will not be drawn.

One person close to the Frenchman described him as "an ideal candidate, but he is his own man".

Another said: "With him, it's not about money, status or ego. He genuinely loves the game. He's made a difficult role work and understands Fifa... That said, he's in a really difficult position."

Distance from the FFE plan

That difficulty was laid bare during the FFE row, when Wenger – traditionally loyal to Infantino – publicly distanced himself from the scheme.

"I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports," he said at the time. "The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent Fifa that serves our game with commitment, transparency and integrity."

Some expected him to resign. Instead, he has continued to oversee youth development at academies in 60 countries and youth competitions worldwide, while also advising the law-making International Football Association Board.

The Africa factor

Infantino's power base lies in Africa, South America and Oceania. He recently received the backing of all 54 African member associations after promising more funding, and Fifa is set to propose a $3.4bn (£2.6bn) increase in development money. He is thought to command the support of roughly half of Fifa's 211 members.

But Wenger also has a strong profile in Africa. Celebrated as a champion of African players during 22 trophy-laden years at Arsenal, he has supported the expanded 48-team World Cup partly to help countries outside the traditional powers. At a Confederation of African Football conference in Cape Verde last weekend, he told delegates: "We want to see an African team win the World Cup, and the numbers show that it is feasible."

BBC Sport was told that many Fifa staff would also like him to stand.

The sceptics

Not everyone is convinced. One well-connected Fifa figure said he would be "amazed if Wenger would rise up against the man who appointed him in the first place", pointing to the Frenchman's "fairly 'out there' ideas" such as biennial World Cups and a "daylight" offside rule.

A senior European official said: "He has the stature, but I'm not sure he smacks of the future. Maybe he could do a single term to introduce reforms."

No obvious rival

The search for a challenger has so far drawn a blank. Concacaf president Victor Montagliani and Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin have both indicated they are not contenders. The only declared candidate is former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega, whose chances are rated low.

Thursday's meeting will also examine governance reform, the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize awarded to US President Donald Trump last year, and disciplinary procedures following the Folarin Balogun affair.

For now, the Wenger idea remains a hope rather than a campaign. But in a week when Infantino faces some of his fiercest critics face to face, the mere fact that his own development chief is being talked about as a rival says much about the mood inside world football.