Mumbai City FC appoints Portuguese Jorge Costa as their new head coach

The former Portuguese international is expected to succeed Alexandre Guimaraes in the Islanders' hot seat...

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit Mumbai City FC are expected to appoint former Portuguese international Jorge Costa as their head coach for the upcoming season, Goal can confirm. 

The 46-year-old will take over from Costa Rican Alexandre Guimaraes who could not steer the club to the semifinal playoffs last season after agreeing to a deal with the Islanders. 

The club was in talks with several other candidates but have finally zeroed in on Costa. It was earlier reported that the Portuguese manager was in talks with Mumbai City but Goal can confirm that the deal was finalised only last week. 

Costa was last in charge of Tours FC who ply their trade in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football, during the 2017-18 season. He has coached several Portuguese clubs including Sporting Braga, Pacos Ferreira and Arouca FC and has also been in charge of Romanian outfit CFR Cluj. 

For a couple of years between 2014 and 2016, Costa was in charge of Gabon national team as well but could not help his team past the group stages in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. 

He has won the Portuguese second division with Olhanense and has also lifted the Romanian league title with CFR Cluj. 

This is set to be the former FC Porto defender's first managerial stint in Asia and he would be hoping to at least reach the semifinal playoffs.

Mumbai City are yet to finalise their foreign signings, having only skipper Lucian Goian on the rolls as of now.