FC Porto have identified Francesco Farioli as the prime target to take charge of the club ahead of the 2025/26 season, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.

The move comes amid growing dissatisfaction with current coach Martin Anselmi, whose short tenure has failed to convince both the board and supporters.

Porto were dumped out of the Club World Cup group stages and finished third in the Primeira Liga, a whopping 11 points behind champions Sporting Lisbon.

Since Andre Villas-Boas returned to Porto as president, the club has experienced a period of instability.

They parted ways with long-serving manager Sergio Conceicao and have since cycled through short-lived appointments.

Anselmi, who only arrived in January, appears set to become the third coach to depart in less than a year.

Farioli, who recently parted ways with Ajax, is viewed by Porto as the ideal candidate to usher in a new era at the Estadio do Dragao.

His time at Ajax saw him lead the Eredivisie for much of the season before narrowly missing out on the title to PSV Eindhoven in the final week.

Villas-Boas and fellow key members of the Porto hierarchy Jorge Costa and Andoni Zubizarreta are believed to be actively involved in negotiations as they aim to conclude a deal for Farioli before the start of pre-season preparations.

Farioli’s coaching journey began as part of Roberto De Zerbi’s staff in Italy before he broke out on his own, earning respect for his clear footballing philosophy and his capacity to develop young talent.

He has reportedly turned down interest from several Serie A clubs this summer and is now set for a spell in Portuguese football.