Zamalek are racing against the clock to find a new coach to lead the team at such a critical time of the season with Portuguese coach Jesualdo Ferreira a prime candidate for the job.

Zamalek Club President Mortada Mansour said the team approached the 74-year-old coach and they are hoping to receive a quick response to prepare for the African Champions League semis next month.

The sudden departure of French tactician Patrice Carteron sent showckwaves in the White camp, coming just a few weeks before the clash against Moroccan side Raja Casablanca in mid-October.

The Zamalek board made a logical choice to hire an experienced coach in African football and a previous experience with the club to maintain their chances of winning their first African Champions League title since 2002. 

Swiss tactician Christian Gross, who led the team to the Confederation Cup title in 2019, came on top of three other portuguese coaches Jesualdo Ferreira, Jaime Pacheco, and Jorvan Vieira.

"We stopped talks with Gross as i felt he was just after the money. He wanted his previous dues and a contract of just two months until the end of the season. We are looking for a permanent replacement who can lead us to the African trophy and prepare for the new season," Mansour said on Sunday.

Ferreira is next in line, as he had a successful spell in the team leading them to the domestic double in 2015 for the first time since 1988 but quit the team following differences with Mansour.

The latest name to arise among the candidates is Argentinean Gabriel Calderon who has never coached in the African continent but he has a rich experience in coaching in the Arabian Gulf. Calderon led the Saudi Arabia national team, Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates’ Baniyas, in addition to coaching the national teams of Oman and Bahrain.

“Zamalek are negotiating with my agent to coach the football team, but as I know I’m not the only coach they’re contacting. I’m ready to coach Zamalek but there has to be an agreement on other things before taking the lead,” Calderon told local media.

The Cairo giants are keeping all their options on the table to finalise a deal before the end of the week.

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