Sportswire has learned that Marumo Gallants have approached Kwanele Kopo with the hope of bringing him in as their coach, as he is currently unattached.

This comes after Gallants coach Abdeslam Ouaddou resigned from the club a couple of days ago, reportedly because his demands for an extended salary package beyond this season were not met.

Additionally, Gallants was reported to have inserted a clause in Ouaddou’s contract stating that any club wanting to sign him would have to pay R1 million. Ouaddou, whose contract was set to expire at the end of this month, but had an option to extend, refuted this, stating that such clauses only apply to players, not coaches.

The Moroccan-born coach, who replaced Dan Malesela in March after Malesela’s dismissal, reportedly felt disrespected by Gallants chairman Abram Sello and decided it was in his best interest to step away.

Ouaddou, who also coached AS Vita Club in Congo, took the helm at a challenging time for Gallants, arriving when the team was facing the threat of relegation. However, he turned the club’s fortunes around, guiding Gallants to a 10th-place finish in the Betway Premiership this past season, including the club’s first-ever win over Orlando Pirates.

Of the 13 matches he was in charge, Ouaddou won five, lost four, and drew four. He also led the team to the Nedbank Cup semi-finals, where they lost to the “cup kings,” Orlando Pirates.

Following Ouaddou’s resignation, Gallants released an unusual statement asserting that the coach had not officially resigned and was, from their perspective, still their coach. However, it appears they are losing that battle and have now set their sights on Kopo, who left Chippa United in January.

Kopo’s departure from Chippa United came after his contract expired, and he also expressed a desire to be closer to his family in Gauteng.

As Gallants have approached Kopo, it remains to be seen whether the former SuperSport United assistant coach will accept the position at the now Bloemfontein-based outfit.