Former Sunderland and Rangers manager Michael Beale is close to agreeing a move to join Steven Gerrard’s coaching staff at Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.
Beale has been out of work since February, when he was sacked as Sunderland head coach after just 12 games in charge.
The 44-year-old previously worked under Gerrard at Rangers between 2018 and 2021, during which time the club won the Scottish Premiership after going the 2020-21 season unbeaten.
He became manager at Ibrox in his own right in November 2022, succeeding Giovanni van Bronckhorst, but was dismissed in October 2023 after 43 matches and 10 months at the helm.
Beale, who began his coaching career with Chelsea’s academy before a spell at Liverpool, will make up part of Gerrard’s new-look backroom staff following the departures of former assistant Dean Holden and sporting director Mark Allen last week.
Al-Ettifaq are 12th in the Saudi Pro League standings having taken just 11 points from their opening 10 games of the season. They are without a win in the league since September and return to action against ninth-placed Al-Riyadh on Sunday.
Gerrard guided Al Ettifaq to a sixth-place finish in the 2023-24 campaign and is under contract until 2027 having signed a two-year contract extension in January.
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