25/04 - 20:00
Former Europa League winning Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri, could be in line for a surprise return to the Premier League, with North London sides Arsenal and Tottenham keen on securing the Italian’s signature.
62-year-old Sarri looked like a certainty for the AS Roma job according to reports, before the club today opted for Jose Mourinho, and now Sarri, who won Serie A with Juventus last season, could be set for a return to England according to Football Italia.
The bookies’ favourite to replace Mourinho at Tottenham, Erik ten Hag, extended his current contract at Ajax last week, while neighbours Arsenal are reportedly looking to move on from Mikel Arteta, with the rookie manager far from convincing in his second season in charge.
Sarri, who spent the majority of his management career in the lower Italian leagues, gained recognition at Napoli, with the team just missing out on the Serie A title under his stewardship in 2018, despite playing some of the best football in Europe.
Chelsea took a risk of the Italian the following season, but fans grew impatient with his ‘Sarriball’ style, and ownership let him go after one campaign that saw a third-place finish and a Europa League title.
The story was similar the next season at Juventus, his most recent job, where a club who were attracted to his style of play, quickly growing impatient despite a league title.
But as has been proved by the struggles of his immediate successors at both Chelsea and Juventus, Sarri may well be a fine fit for a patient side looking to win pretty.
