Soccer-Argentina confirm Sampaoli as top choice for coaching post

Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli is the Argentine FA's choice to take charge of the national team for the remaining qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup, AFA president Claudio Tapia said on Thursday.

"Sampaoli is the chosen one," Tapia, who sacked coach Edgardo Bauza after his election to the AFA chair last month, told ESPN.

Tapia said the AFA would negotiate with Sevilla for Argentine Sampaoli's release from his contract once the league season in Spain concluded next month.

With four qualifying matches to go, Argentina are in fifth place in the South American group, which would put them in an intercontinental playoff for a berth in the finals, while the top four qualify automatically.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)