Whether Benni McCarthy is in talks with Mamelodi Sundowns or not, there is a strong suggestion that he fancies the Brazilians' hot seat for his next project after leaving Manchester United.
As previously reported by this website, Sundowns shortlisted a few candidates for their head coach position during the off-season, after they parted ways with former head coach Rulani Mokwena.
READ | Downs legend: What's stopping Chiefs from buying Appollis Velebayi?
According to a reliable source close to the club, they looked set to appoint a foreign coach, of Spanish descent but halted processes to finalize the deal, with pre-season already in full swing and the season about to begin, under Mngqithi.
The hierarchy, therefore, decided to stick with the 53-year-old, who brought Steve Komphela, later joined by Romain Folz, to assist him.
In their revelations of Sundowns being allegedly currently in negotiations with McCarthy, in discussions that took place in Europe, SoccerBeat also confirmed that the club had other candidates ahead of him striker and that the former striker was their fourth choice.
The three candidates were said to be unavailable.
Discussing which project he would like to take after leaving the Man United, McCarthy suggested that he has his eyes set on coaching a giant in Africa that has FIFA Club World Cup aspirations.
"What's next for me? I think it's clear, the fact that after leaving United, that passion for wanting to be a head coach again, that is the next step for me. Whether it is to go back to Africa, to manage one of the big teams, important teams, with the knowledge that I've gained, that would be amazing," said McCarthy, in an interview on CNN Sports.
"To manage a team on the continent, trying to make them also one of the powerhouses in African football but also to try to achieve, to reach the final when you play in the Club World Cup, that would be the aim.
READ: Downs step in hard for Appollis
"Or even the MLS interests me a lot. Opportunities like that I would welcome, because I think I've got what it takes to manage there, to make players better, to help teams achieve goals that maybe they have not achieved in the last few years. It's just about getting the opportunity."
McCarthy's agent Rob Moore, speaking to Soccer Laduma, revealed that they were in talks with a club in the MLS but also did not deny they were talking to Sundowns.