Vincenzo Montella is in the running to become Italy’s new national team manager, according to Fanatik, citing reports from Tuttosport. The 51-year-old manager is currently preparing for the World Cup with Turkey, but is being courted by his home country.
Montella recently made history by guiding Turkey to their first World Cup qualification in 24 years. In the play-off final, Kosovo were defeated 0-1. On the same evening, Italy suffered yet another disappointment: following a penalty shoot-out against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the team missed out on qualification for the finals for the third time in a row.
The disappointment had immediate consequences, as national team manager Gennaro Gattuso decided to step down with immediate effect. The Italian Football Federation is therefore forced to act swiftly in the search for a successor. In this regard, attention is firmly focused on Montella, although he is still under contract with Turkey.
However, this does not seem to be dampening interest. Reports from Italy suggest that the federation nevertheless intends to make an attempt to prise Montella away. For the former manager of clubs including AS Roma, Sampdoria, AC Milan and Fiorentina, the national team job would be the ultimate opportunity. At the same time, the prospect of a World Cup appearance with Turkey beckons, making a departure in the short term unlikely.
Moreover, Turkey is very satisfied with the collaboration and is committed to Montella staying on for the long term. The aim is to secure his services until at least 2032, the year in which Turkey will co-host the European Championship with Italy. To reinforce this intention, efforts are reportedly even being made to secure Turkish citizenship for the Italian.
Transfer market expert Gianluca Di Marzio also confirms the interest from Italy. “They would love to welcome him,” he says. Alongside Montella, the names of Carlo Ancelotti and Massimiliano Allegri are also being mentioned, although it remains unclear to what extent they are open to the role of head coach with Gli Azzurri.