Report Links Leicester City Manager Claude Puel With Shock Move to Portuguese Giants Sporting CP

Leicester City manager Claude Puel has once again been linked with a possible move away from the Foxes, as the seemingly endless speculation about the Frenchman's future has taken yet another twist.

According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola - via SportWitness - Puel is on a list of potential candidates for the vacant managerial post at Portuguese Primeira Liga side Sporting CP. The new manager is expected to be appointed before Monday.

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However, the report also states that Puel is not the first choice for the post, as Sporting would ideally reappoint former manager Jorge Jesus, whose reason for leaving - former club president Bruno de Carvalho - has since left his post. Puel would only be considered if Sporting's pursuit of Jesus was unsuccessful.

It is difficult to know how seriously to take the A Bola article. According to SportWitness, no other Portuguese newspaper mentioned the Leicester boss in connection with the Sporting job. 

If there is any substance to the story, Puel may consider the post to be something of a poisoned chalice - the Portuguese club is in disarray, with a number of leading stars intending to leave after an armed mob of supporters attacked Sporting players after a training session last season.

The A Bola article isn't the first one to speculate that Puel could be leaving Leicester. He was also linked with Fenerbahçe earlier this month - only for the Turkish club to appoint Phillip Cocu as their new manager.

The Frenchman's future at the King Power Stadium has been the subject of intense speculation since the latter part of last season, as his job was reportedly on the line after a dismal sequence of results. Nevertheless, Leicester had already effectively secured their Premier League safety before their dip in form, and they finished in a respectable ninth place.