According to Belgian media reports, Domenico Tedesco is the top candidate for the job as the new Belgium national soccer coach. Accordingly, talks about a commitment by the 37-year-old are said to be well advanced.
The former coach of FC Schalke 04 and RB Leipzig is already negotiating with the Belgian association about the composition of his staff. Should the negotiations fail, Peter Bosz would be the association’s plan B, it said.
However, the announcement of the new Red Devils coach should only take place at the general meeting scheduled for early February. According to the media, Frank Vercauteren (66) will be the new technical director.
A task force consisting of four people had made suggestions for finding a successor to Roberto Martinez. The 49-year-old resigned after dropping out of the group stage at the World Cup in Qatar. The Spaniard is now Portugal’s selection coach.
Multiple candidates
Tedesco trained in Leipzig from the beginning of December 2021 to the beginning of September 2022. He led the Saxons to the Champions League, the semi-finals of the Europa League and victory in the DFB Cup. Former Dortmund and Leverkusen coach Bosz (59) was released from Olympique Lyon last October.
In addition to Tedesco, the Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino (50), ex-coach of Paris Saint-Germain, the Portuguese André Villas-Boas (45) and the Spaniard Rafael Benitez (62) were also traded.
Joachim Löw’s advisor Harun Arslan had rejected speculation about an interest in the former national coach. Former French world and European champion Thierry Henry, who was assistant coach at the World Cup, did not apply despite requests from several players and former coach Marc Wilmots.