Last night, Mr Goff told the New Zealand Herald "it is likely I will put my name forward", telling voters to expect an announcement before Christmas.
This comes as Orakei Local Board member Mark Thomas puts his hat in the ring.
Mr Thomas is standing as an independent with encouragement from several councillors but no political backing at this stage for the October 2016 contest.
The likelihood of Mr Goff seeking the mayoralty with support from Labour is a big blow for mayor Len Brown, who is being counselled by allies to step down gracefully.
"The mayor is too focused on the job at hand to be thinking about what might happen at the end of next year," a mayoral spokesman said last night.
In March, the Herald revealed that Mr Brown has lost the backing of key members of his campaign team, who delivered a blunt message that he has no chance of winning, he would get no financial backing and his sex life would dominate the campaign.
Other possible contenders are staying quiet. Former Telecom boss Theresa Gattung has not commented on the rumour she is thinking about the mayoralty.
National MP Maurice Williamson, under fire from gay and women's advocates for a recent speech considered homophobic and sexist, Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett and former Auckland City mayor John Banks are considered long shots.
Centre-right figure Mr Thomas, who has actively been travelling around Auckland for the past year, acknowledged he had a low profile.
"Everyone wants a big name but in the absence of a big name what you want is someone who knows the issues and is prepared to take that step," he said.
"Five years since amalgamation Aucklanders have not seen enough progress on the issues that matter most. Auckland is becoming more unaffordable, traffic congestion is getting worse and the region's growth plans have divided communities."
Mr Thomas wants to rewrite the city's Auckland Plan blueprint, resolve the debate around transport funding, better deliver local transport priorities and provide housing and growth plans more Aucklanders support.
Other candidates to announce they are standing for the mayoralty are activist Penny Bright and the right-wing Stephen Berry, both of whom stood in 2013.
- NZ Herald
