Sepp Blatter could still perform a U-turn on his promise to stand down as FIFA president, a former adviser said yesterday, while FIFA did not directly deny the possibility.

Klaus Stoehlker, who advised Blatter during the recent election campaign, told Sky News that Blatter could remain head of world soccer‘s governing body if a “convincing candidate” to replace him did not emerge.

FIFA said that Stoehlker, who was in a meeting when contacted by Reuters and unable to comment, was no longer working with Blatter.

“Klaus Stoehlker’s mandate from the FIFA President ended on 31 May 2015. The FIFA President would like to point to his remarks from 2 June,” it said, referring to Blatter’s announcement that he would call a new election in which he would not be a candidate.

English Football Association chairman Greg Dyke does not think Blatter will have a change of heart.

“I think it (a U-turn) is extremely unlikely. I think it would be very controversial,” Dyke told Reuters

“There would be a rebellion amongst a lot of people (if he did).”

However, Blatter has changed his mind in the past. In 2011, he said his fourth mandate would be his last but he stood again this year.

Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term as FIFA president on May 29 when his opponent Prince Ali withdrew after Blatter had won the first round of voting by 133 to 73.

Four days later, as corruption allegations continued to batter FIFA, Blatter said he would stand down and call a new election, to be held between December and February.

The FBI is investigating bribery and corruption at FIFA, including scrutiny of how soccer‘s governing body awarded World Cup hosting rights to Russia and Qatar.