CAIRO — Egypt's flagship state newspaper Al-Ahram said it expected President Mohammed Morsi would either step down or be removed from office on Wednesday when a deadline set by the army for resolving the country's political crisis expires.

But a military source denied reports in several local newspapers on details of the road map, describing them as "nothing but predictions." The source expected the next step would be to call political, social, and economic figures to talks on the road map.

Al-Ahram said an army road map for the future would set up a three-member presidential council to be chaired by the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court.

"Al-Ahram learned that with the end of the 48-hour period set by the armed forces . . . it is expected in the hours that follow it, one of two things: either Morsi announces his resignation himself, or the declaration of his removal through the road map for the future set out by the armed forces," it said.

Al-Ahram said the road map would set up a neutral transitional government to be headed by a military leader. The transitional period would last nine to 12 months in which a new constitution would be drafted to set out a path to presidential elections.