Kumasi Asante Kotoko are scouring the local coaching market for a replacement for out of favour Portuguese trainer Mariano Barreto.

Reports reaching us indicates that the club have reached an agreement with the WAFA coach to become their new head coacjh ahead of the 2021/2022 season.

He is expected to resign from his role at WAFA and take up the Kotoko job in the coming days.

Management of the club according to our sources are in talks with the University of Cape Coast lecturer about being their coach next season.

Prosper Nartey Ogum led the Academy club to their highest ever finish by placing third in the just ended season.

Mariano Barreto is currently in his homeland Portugal for holidays and will not return to Ghana as the porcupine warriors do not want him any longer.

The porcupine warriors failed miserable after ending the season empty handed as they were beaten to the Ghana Premier League title by Accra Hearts of Oak.

Kotoko at some point were leading the Ghana Premier League table by a whooping seven points but were overtaken by Hearts of Oak to win the title.

According to our sources, the club's management and board are not satisfied with the performance of the Portuguese trainer as there are several players the coach does not see eye to eye with.

They also feel he failed to improve players in his squad despite the talents at his disposal at the club.

The former Ghana coach normally train players who are in his plans during training session at Adako Jachie and leaves the ones he does not like to be trained by his assistants Johnson Smith and Abdulai Gazale.

There are several players who are intent on leaving the club if the Portuguese trainer stays on as coach in the coming season.

The final straw that broke the camel's back was the Portuguese coaches recent unguarded statements about the club where he publicly ridiculed them for being a big club only in name and lacking the needed facilities.