Former Manchester United Manager In Talks To Become Portugal’s Next Manager

Portugal players line up during the national anthems before the match.

REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Fernando Santos’ time as the head coach of Portugal is expected to come to an end following his side’s early exit from the World Cup.

Morocco stunned Portugal with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Al Thumama Stadium and became the first African side to advance to the World Cup semi-finals.

Walid Regragui enhanced his reputation even further by thwarting the Portuguese attack which scored six goals past Switzerland in the previous round.

But Santos predictably came under fire for failing to cut open Morocco’s defence with his star-laden attack. The decision to not start Cristiano Ronaldo invited further criticism.

Just days after Portugal’s exit, it’s being suggested that the Portuguese FA are considering parting ways with Santos despite his contract not being up until 2024. And it appears they already have a man in sight to succeed the Euro 2016 winner.

According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Jose Mourinho is among the candidates to replace Santos, and the Roma boss has already held conversations with the Portuguese FA.

If the former Manchester United manager takes charge of the national team, it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the situation regarding Ronaldo’s role in the team. The duo enjoyed a successful time at Real Madrid more than a decade ago.