AC Milan are expecting to resolve the sporting director issue in the coming days, and the latest news is that Max Allegri’s chances of returning are on the rise.
According to Calciomercato.com, there is a meeting scheduled between the CEO Giorgio Furlani and Igli Tare, from which we could learn a lot about the choices for the future. It starts with the coach who will replace Sergio Conceiçao, who will not remain regardless of if he wins the Coppa Italia.
Stocks on the rise
A name to keep in high consideration for the bench is one Milan fans know well: Allegri. Just like Tare, the former Juventus coach has experienced a season on the sidelines, waiting for the right call and opportunity to resume his career.
Last January, a couple of Saudi clubs including Al-Ahli – where Franck Kessie plays – made contact with his entourage, putting on the table big financial offers in the hope of convincing him to move to the Saudi Pro League.
It is a courtship that to date has not been mutual, because Allegri is very keen to challenge himself again in Serie A. Milan – a team he coaches from 2011 to 2014, winning a league title – appeal to him, and he is convinced that the current squad does not need major upheavals.
Tare has never hidden in the past his deep respect for the work of Allegri, judged as the best Italian coach together with Antonio Conte. With the latter’s profile having become a little less approachable after Milan gave up on Fabio Paratici, Allegri could soon find himself in an advantageous position.
Why Allegri is favoured
The general indication is that the Rossoneri want to focus on a coach who has a deep understanding of football in Italy, so ‘experiments’ like Paulo Fonseca and Conceiçao will not be repeated. Vincenzo Italiano, Maurizio Sarri and Gian Piero Gasperini are in the running too.
Allegri would arrive after a very troubled experience at Juventus given that in the last three years he won only the Coppa Italia last season. However, he worked under more difficult circumstances than his first spell there.
The 57-year-old was able to develop several young players, another characteristic that would fit well with the requirements of the current Milan. His last salary was around €7m net per season plus bonuses, which would probably have to be reduced.
