Reading In Talks With Jose Gomes (Reportedly)

Reading are reportedly in talks with yet another Portuguese manager to replace Paul Clement. This time it’s Jose Gomes, who’s currently in charge of Rio Ave. The Daily Mirror seem pretty confident about this rumour - it comes from chief football writer John Cross and has the word EXCLUSIVE towards the top, so maybe there’s something to this one.

They claim Gomes, 48, is now the club’s number one target and is already in talks with Reading to make the switch to England. Cross also writes, in an oddly positive tone:

“Gomes has an outstanding reputation in Portugal and this season has led Rio Ave to sixth in the Portuguese top flight. Rio Ave is the same club where Wolves boss Nuno also began his managerial career and it has a reputation for spotting good coaching talent.

“Gomes speaks perfect English, plays attractive football and has adapted to working abroad in the past, having also coached at Malaga and Panathinaikos as well as in Hungary and Saudi Arabia.”

Reading are no strangers to Portuguese managerial candidates, having already been strongly linked with Luis Castro and Vitor Pereira over the last week or so. The former chose to stay at Vitoria de Guimaraes after a few days of will he, won’t he? while Pereira apparently proved too expensive to lure from Shanghai SIPG.

The obvious question is whether or not Gomes is linked with Kia Joorabchian. The so-called ‘super agent’ is thought to have pushed Castro as an option for Reading, and could try the same with other managers. A quick Google doesn’t show any links between Gomes and Joorabchian, but you can’t rule it out.

Gomes has only been at Rio Ave since the start of this season, but during that short time he’s pushed them up to an impressive place of seventh (at the time of writing). Before Ave, he’s had spells in the Middle East, also trying his hand at managing Hungarian side Vidi. So, based on that admittedly limited overview, “outstanding reputation” seems like an odd description from the Mirror.

This rumour could of course not have much to it, so usual pinch of salt rules apply.

PS/ We couldn’t find a picture of Gomes, so you got one of Rio Ave’s stadium instead.