Former Asian champions Gamba Osaka, who narrowly avoided relegation from the J-League top flight this year, are looking to appoint Spaniard Dani Poyatos, currently with second-division Tokushima Vortis, as their new manager, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
The 44-year-old Poyatos steered Tokushima to an eighth-place finish in the 2022 J2 season with 13 wins, 23 draws and six losses.
One of Japan's most successful professional soccer clubs, Gamba have struggled since finishing as J1 runners-up in 2020 and faced the prospect of demotion to the J2 for the second time in club history this year.
They replaced manager Tomohiro Katanosaka with caretaker Hiroshi Matsuda midway through the season and eventually finished 15th in the 18-team top division, one spot above the relegation playoffs.
A former manager of Greek side Panathinaikos and previously a youth coach with Real Madrid, Poyatos was appointed at Tokushima following the club's promotion to the J1 for the 2021 season.
Japan's international travel restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic prevented him from entering the country until relatively late in the season, with the club eventually finishing 17th and being relegated back to the J2.
