CLEVELAND (92.3 The Fan) – Terry Francona and the Indians have mutual interest when it comes to him possibly being the next manager of the Indians, and the two sides will be sitting down this week to talk about it.

92.3 The Fan’s Adam “The Bull” is reporting via Twitter that Francona will be in town Friday to have a meeting with the Indians, and he is expected to have the position of manager offered to him over the weekend.

Indians GM Chris Antonetti has identified both Francona as well as current interim manager Sandy Alomar Jr. as the two leading prospects for the position.

Antonetti said Friday that there’s no timetable to name a new manager, but all signs point to the process being a much quicker one than when the team hired recently fired manager Manny Acta in late October of 2009.

Many people are skeptical that Francona would take the job with the Indians based on the ownership of the Dolans as well as the team falling deep out of contention in 2012, but the former Red Sox manager told the Plain Dealer’s Paul Hoynes that’s not the case at all.

“People don’t know me very well if they don’t know I like a challenge,” said Francona. “I’m excited by a challenge and I’m not afraid of a challenge. Especially, when I can do it with people I respect and care about.”

Antonetti stated last week when the firing of Acta took place that Alomar would get a formal interview as well, and that could take place as early as Thursday, the day after the season ends.

This last season Francona has been working as a broadcaster for ESPN, but before that he was the manager in Boston from 2004 through 2011. He led the Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007.

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