The board of São Paulo have opened negotiations with 50-year-old Uruguayan coach Diego Aguirre to lead the team in 2016.
As reported by UOL Esporte, the parties met in São Paulo and are negotiating an agreement, but a deal is not taken for granted. As stated in the report, according to people close to Aguirre, he has another three proposals on hand, from Mexico, Qatar and China. The meeting between the parties happened in one of the offices of vice-president Ataíde Gil Guerreiro. São Paulo have been analysing names since the sacking of Doriva, and preferred Cuca to be their coach next season. However, Cuca has a contract until the end of 2016 with Shandong Luneng, and the coach wouldn’t be willing to give up the huge compensation he’s owed in the event of resigning.
According to members of the board of São Paulo participating in the process of choosing the coach, Paulo Autuori, who resigned from Cerezo Osaka was never considered. Despite the admiration of leaders and players who worked with him during the short spell in 2013, other names such as Cuca and Aguirre were preferred.
Diego Aguirre played for São Paulo in 1990 and has been close to being the coach at Morumbi on other occasions. This year, he led Internacional to the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores, where they were eliminated by Mexican side Tigres, and was sacked soon after.