A deadline for nominations for the position passed yesterday, with Dyukov asserted to be the only contender.

Dyukov was nominated for the position by the Russian Premier League last week.

He currently serves as the chair of the Zenit Saint Petersburg board, having previously served as the club's President.

During his tenure as President of the Russian Premier League side, between 2008 and 2017, the team secured three league titles, two Russian Cups and the 2008 UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

Dyukov currently serves as the director general of Gazprom Neft, the oil producing arm of the energy giant.

He now looks poised to succeed Vitaly Mutko, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister.

Mutko stepped down as RFU President last month.

The 59-year-old's most recent stint as head of the body began in 2015, although he was also President from 2005 to 2009.

He temporarily left the role in December 2017 to fight his lifetime ban from the Olympic Games, but then returned to the position in October.

The former Sports Minister had been heavily criticised both inside and outside of Russia for his performance in the role, which has coincided with Russia's doping crisis.

This has included him being removed from the FIFA Council as well as the lifetime ban imposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

He also stepped down from his role as head of the Organising Committee for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia in a bid to fight his IOC ban, and was replaced by Arkady Dvorkovich.

Neither the IOC nor the World Anti-Doping Agency-commissioned investigations proved that Mutko was directly involved in the doping scandal - which included a sample tampering scheme at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games - but as Sports Minister they accused him of overall responsibility.

This ultimately resulted in Mutko being handed the lifetime ban by the IOC.

Mutko was also a member of FIFA's ruling Council from 2009 until 2017.

He was barred from standing for re-election by world football's governing body as a result of his Government role, as FIFA prohibits political interference in its Member Associations.

Mutko has also been ridiculed for many public statements, including a claim that female Russian ice hockey players could have obtained male DNA within their urine samples via sexual intercourse.

He also embarked on a 77-minute rant attacking international criticism of Russia during a press conference to publicise the World Cup.