Overview
- Multiple outlets report that Portland has selected Martí Cifuentes as its next head coach, but the hire is not final and depends on the coach securing a U.S. visa and a formal club announcement.
- Jack Cassidy remains in charge as interim manager while the administrative steps are completed, and he led the Timbers to a 5-1 win over Seattle after the World Cup break.
- Portland’s urgency for change stems from defensive struggles this season, with the club having conceded 29 goals in 14 matches and sitting low in the Western Conference standings.
- Cifuentes, who was sacked by Leicester in January, has a track record of stabilizing struggling teams including helping QPR avoid relegation in 2023–24 and a coaching résumé across Spain, Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
- If confirmed, Cifuentes would take his first MLS job and is expected to prioritize a more attacking style while fixing defensive issues; the timing of his debut will hinge on immigration processing and the club’s formal sign-off.