Real Mallorca are preparing for life without Javier Aguirre despite Copa del Rey heroics

RCD Mallorca reached glory in the final of the Copa del Rey, reaching the main event for the fourth time on Saturday night, and losing on penalties. Despite the result, Mallorca's performance was largely greeted with pride by their fans and hierarchy. However, manager Javier Aguirre he might not be there next season.

But not for lack of trying from the club, as for Relief, who claim that Los Bermellones made several offers to the Mexican coach, all of which were rejected. They are beginning to assume that Aguirre does not want to continue, although it is not excluded that he could stay in the role.

CEO Alfonso Diaz told the press that “we will talk at the end of the season”, while Aguirre brushed off questions about his post-final future, saying he was “focused on the final and the rest of the league season”. He said that “I don't know how much time I have left in professional football.”

All the same, there has been little hint of a retirement coming. Rather, Aguirre has different offers from abroad, but also potentially the opportunity to take over the Mexican national team again, while he also likes the idea of ​​managing the USA.

As such, Mallorca has begun to put together a shortlist should Aguirre leave, with Ruud van Nistlerooy, Diego Martinez and Eder Sarabia. The unifying factor seems to be that they are relatively early in their managerial careers, with van Nistlerooy having been out of work since leaving PSV Eindhoven last summer. He won a Dutch Cup with PSV during his only season but is thought to be keen to manage the island.

Martinez has been out of work since a brief experience at Olympiakos, having worked wonders with Granada previously. Meanwhile, Sarabia has just been sacked by Gerard Pique's Andorra, but won promotion with them, and kept them last season. He was previously part of Quique Setien's coaching staff.

Aguirre's spell at Majorca he stabilized the club after saving them from relegation, and almost reached Europe last season. The Mexican coach is a safe pair of hands, but he has also improved a number of his players over the past two seasons. Losing him would be a big hole to fill, with his players generally holding him in high regard.