Sabri Lamouchi: Cardiff City optimistic Frenchman will remain as manager
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Manager Sabri Lamouchi (R) and assistant Sol Bamba have steered Cardiff to Championship safety this season
Cardiff City are optimistic Sabri Lamouchi will be their manager next season.
Talks between the club and the 51-year-old Frenchman are due to begin soon, according to Bluebirds chairman Mehmet Dalman.
Lamouchi steered Cardiff away from the threat of relegation from the Championship and says he is "available" for discussions.
Dalman said: "I am sure he and I will be talking almost imminently."
Asked if he was optimistic the former Nottingham Forest boss would stay, Dalman added: "I think I so.
"I have no reason to believe he has different thoughts than us."
Indeed, following Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Huddersfield, Lamouchi said: "I am available 24 hours a day, so whatever they want to do, when they want to start to talk they know where and when. I am available."
Lamouchi was appointed in January with Cardiff winless in 11 games and one place above the relegation zone.
He was Cardiff's third manager this season, following Steve Morison and Mark Hudson.
Lamouchi oversaw six wins in his 17 games in charge, with safety assured following Thursday's 2-1 win at Rotherham and Reading failing to beat Wigan on Saturday.
Though Malaysian owner Vincent Tan will make the final decision, Dalman described Lamouchi as a "proper manager".
Dalman said: "I have spoken to him before the game [against Huddersfield] the pressure is off in terms of relegation.
"I am looking forward to a decent conversation."
The chairman added: "I definitely feared relegation. We took the steps we did take because we as a board, we as a club feared relegation and we did not want to experience that."
Lamouchi said: "I am happy here and so proud to be the manager, thanks to the owner [Tan], Ken Choo [the chief executive] and the chairman [Dalman] for making me the manager of this club.
"I was surprised before, but I was more surprised being in this club because it is a massive club. I was so glad to work and proud of my players.
"It was an unbelievable experience. For the first time I had to fight to find a solution, I have learned a lot but we did it.
"The players made a great great end of the season, particularly in April."