Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro has disclosed that he has been approached by seven other national teams, who have made him concrete offers.
The Portuguese was appointed as Nigeria coach in May 2022, with the highlight of his tenure being the team’s runner-up finish at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) in the Ivory Coast.
Speculation has shrouded Peseiro’s future since the tournament came to an end, although talks have been held between the former Porto manager and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The 63-year-old has consistently been linked with a move away from Nigeria, especially with his current contract set to expire at the end of February.
Peseiro confirms receiving seven offers while Nigeria coach
In the latest update concerning his future as Nigeria coach, Peseiro has revealed that about seven national teams have approached him to be their head coach.
The Portuguese tactician noted that he was bent on continuing with his managerial career but was also keen on choosing the right option.
Although he did not confirm whether or not he would be parting ways with Nigeria, Peseiro stated emphatically that he was open to all options on the table.
“I told everyone to come back at the end of the month. What is certain is that I want to continue coaching and I need to choose wisely,” the Super Eagles coach told GOAL.
“At this moment, I repeat, all options remain possible. I received a lot of options and a lot of contacts from national teams or clubs. I would say 5, 6 or 7, he revealed, without revealing their identity.”
Peseiro’s contract as Nigeria coach comes to a close
Peseiro signed a contract with the Super Eagles that was expected to come to an end after the AFCON. In the last few weeks, he has been in discussions with the NFF over a possible extension or parting of ways.
However, with no official update from both parties, Peseiro will no longer be the Nigeria coach after February 29, 2024, as his current contract would have expired.
The ex-Al Ahly and Braga coach, however, insists he wants to rest and reflect on his next decision while welcoming proposals from suitors.
“I let them all know that I need to rest and that when my contract expires I will talk about it and start thinking about other projects. And decide my future,” he added.
“For now, I need to take a break and be calm. But I listen to the proposals and projects that are offered to me. And I evaluate whether I like it or not.”
Peseiro nears Algeria move
Meanwhile, Peseiro has been strongly linked with the vacant Algeria national team job. The Desert Foxes have been without a coach since Djamel Belmadi was fired in January.
The two-time AFCON champions sacked Belmadi after he led the team to a disappointing group-stage exit at AFCON 2024, where they failed to win a single game and finished at the bottom of a group that contained Angola, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
The Algeria FA has since made Peseiro their number-one target and are now reportedly very close to getting their man.
According to a report by Owngoalnigeria, citing Al-Hayat, the Super Eagles boss will walk away from Nigeria following the expiration of his contract. The report further suggests that Peseiro has already said yes to Algeria, with an official announcement of the deal set to be made next week.
Should the move be successful, Algeria will become only the second African national team to have been managed by Peseiro after Nigeria.
The Portuguese, however, has prior experience in managing in North Africa, having coached Egyptian club Al Ahly from 2015 to 2016.
