Patrick Vieira emerges as Senegal’s preferred choice after federation talks

The Senegal Football Federation (FSF) is reported to have reached an agreement in principle with Patrick Vieira to become the next manager of the national team, although the appointment has not yet been officially confirmed.

Vieira has been in Senegal since 29 July and is understood to have held discussions with officials from the federation. Those talks included a working session with the FSF’s Secretary General, during which the former France international presented his ideas and ambitions for the Lions of Teranga.

The federation’s leadership is said to have been impressed by Vieira’s vision for Senegal and by his plans for the national side. While the discussions appear to have produced a positive outcome, the FSF is reportedly unwilling to announce the agreement at this stage.

The main obstacle is the unresolved situation involving Pape Thiaw. In particular, the federation must settle the payment of compensation believed to be owed to the current coach before it can formally move forward with Vieira’s appointment.

Until that financial dispute is resolved, the FSF is expected to keep the reported agreement private. The matter is therefore central to the timing of any announcement, despite the apparent progress made in negotiations with Vieira.

If the disagreement over the outstanding compensation cannot be settled in time, federation officials are understood to have prepared an alternative plan. Under that scenario, the National Technical Director would take temporary charge of the Senegal team from September.

That would allow the national side to continue under an interim arrangement while the federation works to resolve the issue surrounding Thiaw. It would also delay any formal handover to Vieira, even though the former midfielder is reportedly the preferred candidate following his meeting with the federation’s leadership.

For now, the FSF has not made any official announcement regarding Vieira or the future of the national team’s coaching position. The reported agreement remains dependent on the resolution of Thiaw’s situation and the payment of the compensation due to him.

Vieira’s presence in Senegal and the discussions held with federation officials have nevertheless increased expectations that he could take charge of the Lions of Teranga. Any confirmation will depend on whether the financial dispute is concluded before the team’s planned activities in September.