Former Tottenham Hotspur coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, has been fired by Al-Ittihad after allegedly clashing with their star player Karim Benzema following a spate of Saudi Pro League defeats.

Al-Quwa Al-Juwiya pushed the Portuguese coach out of the AFC Champions League group stage after the team failed to win five of their final six league games.

Al-Ittihad have a number of talented players on their roster, including former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante, ex-Celtic winger Jota, and former Liverpool player Fabhino.

Despite their star-studded lineup, Nuno has only managed two wins in their past nine games across all competitions.

According to Revelo, tempers flared in the changing room following an ugly defeat to Al-Quwa Al-Juwiya, and Benzema and Nuno reportedly traded words.

According to reports, the club may attempt to hire a French manager to appease Benzema. Laurent Blanc, who used to coach Lyon, is said to be on the list of possible replacements.

Zinedine Zidane has also been mentioned as the ideal manager for the team, although he has so far denied all offers.

Al Ettifaq manager Steven Gerrard recently stated that he will “scour Europe” for new transfer targets as the Saudi Pro League tries to open the purse strings once more.

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Gerrard took over as manager of the Saudi team in July, although they presently rank seventh in the league table with 21 points after 12 games.