Pop star Justin Timberlake is the latest celebrity name to emerge as a potential contender for Simon Cowell's vacant judging seat on American Idol.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the SexyBack hitmaker has joined Elton John, Chris Isaak and Harry Connick Jr. as rumored replacements for Cowell. The former Idol judge quit the show in May to focus on his new U.S. series The X Factor, which premieres in September, 2011.

Reports suggest Idol producer Simon Fuller and Fox network executives are also considering dumping the entire judges panel - which would mean booting songwriter Kara DioGuardi and renegotiating multi-year contracts with Randy Jackson and Ellen DeGeneres.

Idol bosses have insisted no decision is imminent, but insiders expect the new judge to be named in September.