FORMER Ghanaian international defender John Paintsil is expected to secure a contract in the Premier Soccer League with Polokwane City.

The 32-year-old Paintsil has turned to the Limpopo outfit after he could not agree terms with National First Division side Santos despite impressing the technical staff at training.

Paintsil met club chairman Johny Mogaladi in Johannesburg on Monday.

"I can confirm we are interested in John," said club communications manager Patrick Baloyi. "We have invited him to train with the club where he will be assessed by the technical staff.

"John is a professional and we are impressed by the way he is handling the negotiations. There are still one or two issues that we need to sort out with him."

Paintsil, who was part of the Ghana team that reached the quarterfinals of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, could not be reached for comment.

Paintsil, who has represented the Black Stars 88 times, has played for various clubs like Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, Leicester City, Fulham and West Ham United in England, and Berekum Chelsea and Liberty Professionals in Ghana.

On speculation linking former Bloemfontein Celtic coach Clinton Larsen with City's vacant position, Baloyi said: "All that I can tell you is that we will name a new coach before the end of this week.

"There are several coaches that our chairman has been talking to in the past few days and weeks."

Times Media has learnt that City approached Larsen soon after he resigned as coach of Celtic on Monday following Phunya Sele Sele's 4-0 drubbing by Mamelodi Sundowns in the Telkom Knockout the previous day.

Rise and Shine have been without a coach following the departure of Duncan Lechesa last month.