Benfica brass fly out to Manchester intent on contracting Eriksson

Ex England boss first choice for coaching vacancy

Benfica have singled out Manchester City’s Sven-Goran Eriksson as their number one choice to be their next coach.

A delegation of the club’s representatives, which included president Luis Filipe Veiria, lawyer Paulo Goncalves and future director of football Rui Costa, flew out to Manchester on Wednesday intent on contracting their new bench boss.

All three men were spotted coming out of a Manchester hotel followed by Eriksson and his representative, Athole Still. It is believed this is the first meeting between the two parties as Benfica seek to fill their coaching vacancy which has been unoccupied since Jose Antonio Camacho resigned back in early March.

Portuguese sports daily A Bola claim in today’s edition that a three-year deal has been agreed, but Eriksson himself issued the briefest of statements, saying “I’m going to think about it.”

Should Benfica land Eriksson, it would be his third spell at the club after holding the post back in 1982/84 & 1989/92. Eriksson is set to leave the Premiership side at the conclusion of the season as club owner, Thaksin Shiniwatra, has made his feelings known that he is unhappy with the team’s performance’s as of late, and holds the former England manager as the main culprit.

It is also suspected that Eriksson will not be short of suitors when Manchester City close out their season this weekend, hence Benfica’s hastiness in trying to secure the Swede now. The next few days will be telling if the Portuguese side can bring one of their former sons back home.


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