San Jose Earthquakes’ charismatic head coach Matias Almeyda is once again being linked with a move away from MLS. This time, Brazil side Palmeiras is reportedly trying to convince the Argentinian to leave the United States.
Palmeiras have been without a manager since they fired former Real Madrid boss Vanderlei Luxemburgo following a stretch of the team’s disappointing performances. The club has been doing their due diligence on several candidates in the past few weeks, and according to TYC Sports’ Cesar Luis Merlo, Almeyda emerged as their preferred candidate.
Merlo reports that Palmeiras still hasn’t made an official approach to Almeyda, and it is unclear whether the 46-year-old manager is interested in the position. Also, in order to facilitate a potential deal, the Brazilian club would have to negotiate a buyout with the Quakes.
Matias Almeyda had success in each of his previous stops as a manager, winning Primera B Nacional titles with River Plate and Banfield while guiding Guadalajara to multiple trophies, including Liga MX Clausura and CONCACAF Champions League. His time in San Jose, however, was a mix of good and bad.
In his debut 2019 season with Quakes, Almeyda helped the team to make significant progress and No.8 spot in the Western Conference compared to a last-place finish in the previous year. In 2020, Quakes failed to build on this and have been without a win in eight games at one point while conceding league-leading 45 goals.
Almeyda’s decision on the future will most likely depend on how Quakes finish their season.
Despite the ups and downs, San Jose is still in the mix to make the playoffs as they are currently the seventh seed in the West. If they make noise in the postseason, Almeyda will probably be encouraged to continue the project. If not, don’t be surprised to see him walk away.
