Pellegrini says he won't take open Chile job

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said that returning to coach Chile is not in his plans, despite Jorge Sampaoli reaching an agreement to quit on Tuesday.

Sampaoli, who led Chile to the 2015 Copa America title, had been at odds with the Chile federation over compensation for several weeks, and the two sides finally came to an agreement over adequate compensation for the breaking of contract.

But Pellegrini said returning to his home country is not in his immediate plans.

“I hope to remain with competitive teams in Europe, I am not thinking about returning to Chile at least for the next three or four years,” the veteran manager told Radio Cooperativa.

Marcelo Bielsa is rumoured to be a candidate to replace Sampaoli, who coached Universidad de Chile in 2011-12 to three league titles and the Copa Sudamericana championship.

He took over the reins of the national team in 2013. Under his direction, Chile won the Copa America for the first time in the history of the event.

Pellegrini encouraged Salah to tap into coaches with close ties to Chilean football, but did say that he would evaluate coaching the team in the World Cup if he was needed.

“If it is something, like the next World Cup, to which I could bring my experience in other leagues, surely, I would consider it,” Pellegrini said. “As for now, I would like to have the project of a club at which I am competing each week.”

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