Alan Rusbridger has stepped down from his role as editor-in-chief at the Guardian after more than 20 years at the helm.

He will remain in the position until summer next year before taking up his new job as chair of the newspaper's owners, the Scott Trust in 2016.

Early frontrunners for the top spot include former deputy editor Ian Katz, Janine Gibson, currently editor-in-chief of the paper's American office, and high-profile columnist Jonathan Freedland, who according is seen as an outside candidate.

Hopes that a change at the helm would alter the tone of the paper's Middle East coverage, which has been criticised as anti-Israel, were downplayed by Adam Levick, managing editor of Cif Watch, which monitors its Israel reports.

He said: "The Guardian is institutionally biased against Israel so I'm not optimistic that a new editor in chief will result in better coverage.

"Having said that, Jonathan Freedland represents one of their more sober voices on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and would possibly facilitate some positive change."