Soccer-Colombian Osorio in talks to become Mexico coach

(Adds Mexico federation statement) By Carlos Pacheco MEXICO CITY, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Colombian Juan Carlos Osorio is in negotiations to take over as Mexico coach after resigning from Sao Paulo, the Mexican Soccer Federation said on Tuesday. Officials confirmed they were in talks with the 54-year-old but said a deal had yet to be reached after Sao Paulo issued a statement saying he was leaving to coach Mexico. "Now that he no longer has a contract we will try and speed things up with Osorio in order to reach an agreement by Friday," Santiago Banos, the director of national teams at the Mexican Football Federation, told the Televisa network. "The idea is that he will be with us all the way to the (2018) World Cup." Osorio is set to replace Brazilian Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti, who was named Mexico's interim boss after Miguel Herrera. Ferretti is in California where Mexico face the United States on Saturday in a playoff to decide who represents the CONCACAF region in the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia. Sao Paulo president Carlos Miguel Aidar had earlier issued a statement on the club's website saying Osorio had quit. "I received Mr Juan Carlos Osorio here in my office today, who confirmed that he is leaving our club to manage Mexico in the World Cup qualifiers, a long-time desire of his," said Aidar. "I am deeply saddened by the decision as he had been doing great work." Osorio has experience of working in Mexico having managed club side Puebla. He has also coached Colombian teams Millionarios, Once Caldas and Atletico Nacional as well as Major League Soccer clubs Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls. His first match in charge of Mexico could come on Nov. 13 when they face El Salvador in the World Cup qualifiers. (Writing by Andrew Downie, Reporting by Carlos Pacheco; editing by Ken Ferris)