News Focus
- Max Allegri signs a two-year contract to become the new manager of SSC Napoli.
- The former Juventus boss plans to switch the club’s tactics to a 4-3-3 formation.
- AC Milan are searching for a new coach and want Ralf Rangnick as technical director.
- Lorenzo Pellegrini and Paulo Dybala accept large pay cuts to extend their contracts at Roma.
- Juventus plan major squad changes after failing to qualify for the Champions League.
Max Allegri has agreed to take over as Napoli manager next season. The Italian coach will sign a two-year contract with the Serie A side. Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis selected Allegri to replace Antonio Conte. The deal is worth four million euros per season.
Allegri wants to change the team’s tactical approach. He plans to use a 4-3-3 formation, which uses four defenders and three attackers. De Laurentiis chose Allegri ahead of other candidates, including Vincenzo Italiano. Italiano will now leave his current club instead of moving to Napoli.
Meanwhile, AC Milan are looking for a new manager. Club owners Gerry Cardinale and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have drawn up a shortlist. They have spoken with American coaches Jesse Marsch and Pellegrino Matarazzo. They have also contacted Rene Jaissle and Mauricio Pochettino. Milan want German tactician Ralf Rangnick to join as technical director.
Inter Milan are focusing their attention on midfielder Davide Frattesi. Coach Cristian Chivu has made the player a top target. Former Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri has also admired Frattesi for several years.
In Rome, two star players are accepting wage cuts to help their clubs. Lorenzo Pellegrini will reduce his salary by more than fifty per cent to stay at AS Roma. Paulo Dybala will also take a major reduction, with his wages dropping from eight million euros to 2.5 million euros per year. Both men want to sign new contracts because of their loyalty to their clubs.
Juventus are preparing for a busy summer transfer window. The team failed to qualify for the Champions League this season. Luciano Spalletti has met with club president John Elkann to discuss the future. Sports directors are ready to make key decisions next week at the Continassa training ground.
Several big names could leave Turin. Defenders Gleison Bremer and Marcus Thuram might move to new clubs. The club wants to sign replacements to improve the squad. Their targets include strikers Jonathan David and Lois Openda, midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, and goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio. Spalletti hopes centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic will stay at the club to provide stability.
Torino FC are also searching for a new manager. Former Milan defender Ignazio Abate is the favourite for the position. At Fiorentina, Fabio Grosso looks set to become the new head coach. The summer promises major changes across Italy’s top league.