Where next for Paulo Fonseca?

A 6-2 hammering against Manchester United has all but ended AS Roma's Europa League ambitions - and with Paulo Fonseca's side also languishing in 7th in Serie A, the Portuguese coach is fully expected to depart the club before next season gets underway.

Having led Roma to 5th place in his opening campaign in Italy, the former Shakhtar Donetsk and Porto manager showed signs of having what it takes to rejuvenate something of a fallen giant, but has ultimately failed to build on an encouraging first season, with his side seemingly taking a couple of steps backwards this campaign, domestically at least.

As such, the end of his stint in the Italian capital is seemingly in sight, and already some are beginning to predict what may come next for the 48-year old.

Could a move to England be on the horizon?

Having tried his hand as manager in Portugal, Ukraine and Italy, a new challenge is likely to also bring a new country - and England is perhaps one of the more likely destinations.

Having previously been closely linked with the Everton job before the Merseyside club ultimately settled on long-term target Marco Silva, Fonseca has already been floated as an English Premier League manager in waiting, and after a respectable - albeit somewhat underwhelming - stint at Roma, he has done his chances of landing a job in what is currently the most prestigious league on the continent no harm at all.

One current high-profile managerial vacancy is Tottenham Hotspur following the departure of compatriot Jose Mourinho, and the suitability of Fonseca for the role has not gone unnoticed.

Having performed wonders at somewhat unfancied sides before, Fonseca has proven more than capable of helping lift the level of several outfits, including Paços de Ferreira, Braga and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Indeed, his first stint at Paços was perhaps the most impressive of them all, leading the perennial midtable Portuguese side to a truly extraordinary 3rd place finish in the league - above both Sporting and Braga despite being considerably outmatched financially and having incomparable resources to work with, while he also led them to the semifinal of the Portuguese Cup too.

Paços lost just 4 league games across the entirety of that season - and their marvelous 3rd place achievement earned them an historic place in the Champions League qualifying round - where they were ultimately disposed of by Zenit.

Fonseca, however, did not oversee that defeat to the Russian giants, having instead been snapped up by FC Porto as reward for his miracle with Paços - and without his magic touch, Paços only finished 15th in the following season, amassing only a measly 24 points in total. It ensured they averaged well below a point a game and lost 18 league games across the Primeira Liga season. In fact, they only narrowly avoided the drop thanks to a relegation playoff victory over second division side Aves. Fonseca’s achievements were only made to look all the more impressive as a result.

Though Spurs are on another level to Paços in just about every regard - be it in terms of finances, reputation or expectations - the fact is that they are not one of the standout favourites to win the league each season, or even qualify for the Champions League, and they need someone who has proven their capabilities of maximising a squad’s potential to deliver success and silverware to a club that has now gone well over a decade without lifting a trophy.

London rivals Arsenal are similarly a club in need of considerable rejuvenation, and current boss Mikel Arteta has been coming under increasing pressure with Arsenal residing in an unrecognisable 10th place in the league at the tail end of the season, while their Europa League campaign is also looking precarious.

Fonseca had already been touted as a possible replacement for the Spaniard should the Arsenal board lose patience - and they are another club that Fonseca would be well suited to.

Indeed, Paços are not the only club who Fonseca has taken to a new level. His work at Shakhtar Donetsk is well known and has been extensively reported. Encouraging his side to play some beautiful attacking football, his team ethos suits that of Arsenal's traditions, and it rendered the desired results too.

In his very first season in Ukraine, Fonseca took the title away from the then powerhouses of Ukrainian football - Dynamo Kiev - in emphatic fashion, finishing 13 points ahead of the side that had won the previous two league titles back-to-back.

Fonseca's side followed that up with another title triumph the following season, and made it three in a row when they yet again looked incredibly imposing in 2019, cruising to the title once more as they fully established themselves as the number one force in Ukraine. It was after the third title in three attempts that Fonseca then moved on to Roma, and he saved the best until last in Ukraine, with Shakhtar losing just one league match and conceding just 11 goals all campaign as they secured the title with a club record 83 points in his final term in charge.

Fonseca also knows how to win silverware with outsiders. In his one season at Braga, for example, he led the Minho outfit to Portuguese Cup glory for only the second time in the club's history - 50 years after their first - beating Sporting and Porto en route, the latter (his former club) in the final.

Similarly, with Shakhtar he won the Ukrainian Cup in each of his three seasons at the club, completing the double on every attempt. His ability to win trophies therefore also fits in with what is becoming the Arsenal way, and makes him an even more attractive managerial appointment for any club currently searching for a new manager.

Other English clubs will no doubt be taking a look too though. Crystal palace were one such side who have been linked with Fonseca in recent days, while clubs of a similar standing may believe they have what it takes to persuade him to come.

Wolves have been suggested as another very plausible destination. With Nuno Espirito Santo tentatively linked with a summer move away from Molineux - currently deemed one of the potential successors to Mourinho at Spurs - Fonseca seems like a perfect candidate to take his role at Wolves should the hierarchy at the club choose to continue to maintain a heavy Portuguese influence in their ranks. Typically setting his sides up to play exciting, attractive football, his philosophy may also make him endearing to fans.

Ultimately, it’s still too early to call, and high-profile jobs could still pop up in the likes of France, Germany and Spain which. could tempt the Portuguese manager. Will Simeone still be at Atletico Madrid? Could the Lyon or Lille job become available? One thing is for sure though; Fonseca won't be short of suitors.