Kaizer Chiefs are facing a big challenge in their pursuit of Petro de Luanda head coach Alexandre Santos, KickOff has been led to believe.
With only a week left before the league season is concluded and having had ample time to prepare for the upcoming 2024/25 campaign after announcing that interim coach Cavin Johnson would not continue for next season, Chiefs are believed to be upping their efforts to announce a new head coach.
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The Glamour Boys have been linked with coaches such as Pitso Mosimane, Rui Vitoria, Florent Ibenge, Raul Caneda, Miguel Gamondi and Patrick Aussems, among others, but local media have suggested that Santos has emerged as a leading candidate.
With the Portuguese tactician's contract at Petro coming to an end in June, this publication understands the Soweto giants are engaged in talks with the former Porto assistant coach, via his agent, and are yet to engage the coach personally.
Upon investigating, an insider close to Santos expressed confidence that the 47-year-old could fit in at Chiefs like a hand in glove, to restore their prestige as a big club in the country, competing for honours.
However, as reported in local media, Amakhosi are not the only suitor.
The source cited Wydad Casablanca, who have reportedly expressed interest in Santos, as a strong attraction, especially given the fact they will be playing in the FIFA Club World Cup in June next year.
It's hard to tell which decision the Portuguese coach will take, as per the source, as it is currently his agent handling talks with interested clubs.
Chiefs were criticized in the media ahead of the 2023/24 season after waiting until too late to finalize the issue of a new coach, following protracted negotiations with Nasreddine Nabi, which collapsed with pre-season in the final stages.
Ironically, Nabi was eventually snatched by Moroccan big spenders FAR Rabat.
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Amakhosi were then forced to make a last-minute decision to redeploy Molefi Ntseki as a head coach, who did not have a proper pre-season and was relieved of his duties just four months into his new post.
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