CASTRO GETS CALL TO FIX A ROYAL CRISIS
READING have made an approach for Vitoria Guimaraes boss Luis Castro as the cull at the Madejski Stadium continued.
The Royals are ready to pay Castro’s £900,000 release clause after sporting director Gianluca Nani followed manager Paul Clement out of the club.
The latter was axed as manager after Reading’s dire run of four wins from 20 Championship games.
Nani, who was only appointed four months ago, had wanted to appoint Steve Bruce to replace Clement.
But Nigel Howe, who recently returned to the Berkshire club as chief executive, picked out Castro (above) as his top target. The 57-year-old Portuguese had a brief spell in charge of Porto in 2014. MARIO BALOTELLI will leave Nice in the summer – if not before – according to the club’s president. Nice president JeanPierre Rivere said of the former Manchester City striker’s (left) future: “I think it will be over.”