Sampaoli prepares for a return to French football

Argentine coach Jorge Sampaoli has been without a team since parting ways with Brazil’s Flamengo in September 2023. However, interest in him is emerging from a familiar place: the French league.

Details: According to Mundo Deportivo, citing French media sources, Sampaoli is a candidate to take over at Rennes, where there is increasing speculation around the potential dismissal of current manager Julien Stéphan. Yet, the former Sevilla and Marseille coach faces stiff competition.

Previously, it was reported that Rennes is also considering candidates like Niko Kovač, Rudi Garcia and Patrick Vieira. Fresh reports add former Porto manager Sérgio Conceição to the list, who, like Sampaoli, has been available since the end of the 2023/2024 season.

Reminder: Sampaoli's European coaching experience includes brief tenures at Sevilla and Marseille. He is perhaps best known for his stints with the Chilean and Argentine national teams, as well as major Latin American clubs such as Santos, Atlético Mineiro, and Flamengo.