DUBAI // Al Nasr's hunt for a coach to replace Walter Zenga has hit another roadblock, with one more of their reported targets being taken off the list.
Bernd Schuster, the former Real Madrid manager, was widely reported as one of the three men on Nasr's shortlist, but reports in the Spanish media on Thursday claimed the German has been appointed as Manuel Pellegrini's replacement at Primera Liga club Malaga. Sky Sports News Germany have also confirmed the news.
A day earlier, former Chelsea defender Dan Petrescu also ruled himself out, claiming no Arab club could afford to pay the release clause in his contract with Dynamo Moscow, which is reportedly €12 million (Dh58m).
"I can confirm that I have some offers from Arab clubs," he said in Romania on Thursday.
"But I don't think they can pay the amount of the termination clause. Dynamo have invested a lot of money in me and now I have to bear the consequences of that."
Serbian Ivan Jovanovic, who has just been replaced by Pedro Emanuel at Cypriot club APOEL Nicosia, is the latest name to emerge as a contender, but Fahad Hadi, an Al Nasr board member, refused to confirm him as one of the candidates.
"We are looking at a few candidates and we are still discussing," he said.
"Within three or four days, we will have a clearer picture. All I can say is, we will not be looking at the nationality of the manager or his reputation. We will bring someone who will be the best man for Nasr."
Hadi also refused to talk about Petrescu, saying the club had never said they were "negotiating with him; it was the media who named him".
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