Celtic manager target ticks all the boxes for Ligue 1 side as 'financial agreement' reached
The Premiership rival boss was the favourite to take over from Martin O’Neill in the summer
Celtic manager target Jens Berthel Askou has reportedly reached a ‘financial agreement’ with French side Toulouse as the Motherwell boss looks set for a Fir Park exit.
With current Hoops gaffer Martin O’Neill out of contract at the end of the season, Askou has been one of the frontrunners to fill the vacancy. The Dane has received endless plaudits this season for transforming an average Motherwell side into European hopefuls with their possession-based, free-flowing style of play, which earned them fourth place.
Toulouse have now however threw a spanner in the works, as they’ve got the ball rolling in terms of Askou negotiations. Club Sporting Director Viktor Bezhani is looking for a coach who can defy the odds with a ‘modest’ budget, something the 43-year old has a clear track record of. The Ligue 1 side finished mid-table in the standings last season and have since parted company with ex-boss Carles Martinez Novell.
Askou reaches ‘financial agreement’ with Toulouse
Prominent transfer journalist Sasha Tavolieri said via X: “Toulouse FC have a new manager: Jens Berthel Askou! Motherwell FC have reached a financial agreement with the Téfécé to release their Danish coach. Everything is settled. Jens Berthel Askou is currently finalising the last details with Les Violets.”
The South of France compared to Glasgow may have a better appeal in terms of climate, but what also may have swung Askou’s thoughts is that at Toulouse, he would reportedly be given unlimited access to the squad’s resources. In a meeting with supporters earlier in the week, Bezhani outlined the qualities he’s looking for in the next Toulouse boss.
Motherwell boss fits the bill for Toulouse demands
According to the Daily Record, he said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to the fans. You have been incredibly supportive, even when we didn't deserve to receive so much support. Our promise to you is that this summer, we will build a team, with a new coach and new players, that you will be very proud of.
“One of our objectives for next year is clearly to win more home games, for the fans. When the management and the players are in sync with them, then there are no limits. We want a very dynamic coach, someone very positive. We have thousands of supporters who want to see a team that fights in every match, a team that creates attacking play, scores goals, and plays with a lot of transitions and intensity.
“One of the most important things we looked at in the data is whether a coach was overperforming. This is essential for Toulouse. We have a modest budget and we need a coach who can take on teams with higher resources, but who still manage to achieve better results than expected and also develop the players.”
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