Arsenal have reportedly been linked with the appointment of Bordeaux manager Paulo Sousa. Sousa became the manager of the French club at the end of last season.
As per French news outlet L’Equipe, the former Portuguese international is one of the many managers shortlisted for the job.
Sousa’s representatives have confirmed Arsenal’s interest in the Bordeaux manager. The Portuguese is no stranger to English football, having managed QPR, Swansea City, and Leicester City in the early days of his managerial career.
He has had a decent start to this season with Bordeaux, who are currently fifth in Ligue 1, 13 points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
Sousa has won league titles in Hungary, Israel and Switzerland, but hasn’t had much success in the top leagues in Europe. He managed Italian side Fiorentina for two years, where he helped them to a fifth and eighth place finish.
Paulo Sousa – The right fit for Arsenal?
Arsenal’s interest in Sousa is quite bewildering. The 49-year-old manager has neither had trophies in the big leagues in Europe, nor has he showcased a style of football or tactics that were unique and could bring Arsenal any success.
A manager like Ajax’s Erik ten Hag, who has caught the eye with the tactics that he has employed, is the kind of manager the Gunners should go for.
Sousa only successes as a manager have come in lower leagues, and the step up from a club like Bordeaux to the Premier League would be a huge one.
He is also not in any way associated with the Gunners and hasn’t had a past history with them, which makes this supposed interest even more surprising.
The Gunners should either look at previous players who know the club, or appoint a manager with new ideas and a philosophy that meshes with that of Arsenal.
Their previous manager Unai Emery, had a good CV, having managed big clubs with silverware to go with it. Sousa has neither, and this would be an appointment that would not necessarily excite that fans.