Sevilla warn Argentina over Sampaoli

Sevilla have warned the Argentine Football Association (AFA) they will not tolerate any attempts to lure Jorge Sampaoli away from the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Argentina are in the market for a new coach after dismissing Edgardo Bauza on Tuesday and have reportedly lined up Sampaoli as a potential replacement.

Nevertheless, Sevilla are determined to hold on to Sampaoli for the foreseeable future, with the 57-year-old's contract not due to expire until 2018.

"In response to various reports in local and international media outlets about the potential interest of the Argentine football association (AFA) to sign Jorge Sampaoli – who has a contract with Sevilla until 30 June 2018 – and in the wake of quotes attributed to AFA president Claudio Tapia that he intends to meet with Sampaoli in the upcoming days, Sevilla have sent a letter to AFA to make it clear the club would consider it a lack of respect if there is any truth in those reports, while stressing any meeting or contact with the intention of convincing Sampaoli to end his contract with this club would be unacceptable and that the club will not hesitate to take action," the statement reads.

Sampaoli replaced Unai Emery at Sevilla at the start of the 2016-17 campaign following the latter's departure to Paris Saint-Germain.

Sevilla sit fourth in LaLiga with seven games left and appear to be on their way to Champions League qualification, having made it to the round of 16 in European club football's elite competition this season.

But Argentina's plight is precarious, with Bauza leaving them fifth in qualifying for Russia 2018, a position that carries an intercontinental play-off spot, with four games remaining.