La Liga club Granada and Jorge Sampaoli have agreed in principle a deal for the Argentinean coach to take over as manager at Los Cármenes. The agreement is for a two-year contract and sources close to the negotiation told AS that the deal is “90 percent done.”

The financial aspect has been agreed but Sampaoli has laid out a few sporting considerations to be met before he puts pen to paper. The former Chile coach will be paid around five million euros a season to take charge of Granada.

Sampaoli entered the global consciousness last year when he guided Chile to the Copa América title. Among the demands he has laid out is that he be handed complete control of transfer dealings to mould a winning side in his own image. The capture of Sampaoli would be quite the coup for Granada and a serious statement of intent from new owner Jiang Lizhang, who has already brought Pere Guardiola on board to design a new club structure at Los Cármenes.

Should the Sampaoli deal fall through, former Porto coach Julen Lopetegui remains the second choice, even if he is fully aware that Granada are pushing the boat out for Sampaoli.