Scolari close to agreeing Manchester City deal

Brazilian offered lucrative contract and huge transfer kitty

Manchester City owner Taweesuk Srisumri seems set on contracting Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for next season, no doubt aware that the Brazilian has stated on several occasions that he is likely to bring the curtain down on a highly successful 5-year stint as Portugal’s head coach after Euro 2008.

Last week Scolari said he “knows nothing” of the purported interest from the Premiership club. However, in today’s edition of Portuguese sports daily, Record, it is reported that the World Cup winning coach has been offered a 4m euros a year contract, which is practically ten times his current salary paid by the Portuguese Football Federation.

Former Thai Prime Minister and multi-millionaire Srisumri has also promised the coach a transfer kitty of over 75 million euros as he attempts to turn the club into a force to be reckoned with in England.

The offer, made through a Brazilian intermediary, was received with interest by Scolari, who enjoyed success in club management in his homeland before embarking on a career with the national teams of Brazil and Portugal.

Alves connection

Should Scolari accept the position, it could also pave the way for FC Porto’s Portugal centre-back Bruno Alves to move to the City of Manchester stadium.

The club made a 13m euro bid for the powerful defender just days ago, and Scolari is known to be a big fan of the stopper, handing him his full international debut last year and regularly selecting him ahead of Real Madrid star Pepe.

Scolari will now turn his attention to this summer’s European Championships in Austria and Switzerland, with the 23-man Portugal squad to be announced next week, but the Brazilian appears to have an exciting future project awaiting him.


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