Report: Argentine ace next Adelaide United coach?

Argentine legend Gabriel Batistuta has been offered the chance to coach Hyundai A-League club Adelaide United, according to reports.

The Adelaide Advertiser reported on Thursday that Reds chief executive Grant Mayer confirmed that Batistuta is the club’s prime target to replace Gui Amor.

Head here for the Advertiser’s story

“We can’t sit on our hands,” Mayer told News Limited on Thursday.

“We’re chasing a suitable replacement after Guillermo Amor, [who] has all the respect and goes out on his own terms.

Amor parts ways with Adelaide United

“With Batistuta an offer has been made but there is also a Plan A, B and C.”

Amor guided Adelaide to their first A-League title in 2015-16 but he oversaw a disappointing championship defence as the Reds finished ninth in the 10-team league last season.

Adelaide United coach Guillermo Amor

Now 48-year-old Batistuta, who enjoyed a glittering playing career at both club and international level, is favourite to fill the vacancy despite his limited coaching experience.

Batistuta – who moved to Perth in Australia after retiring in 2005 – was one of the most prolific strikers in football during the 1990s, scoring more than 200 goals for Fiorentina.

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He also scored 54 goals for Argentina – the AFA does not recognise his brace against Slovakia’s youth team in 1995 – before Lionel Messi broke his international record last year.