Hours after Roberto Mancini’s decision to leave the Italy job surfaced in the media, the 53-year-old’s future has become a subject of wild speculation. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Saudi Arabia have quickly enquired about the tactician’s availability.
Given this summer’s market trends, it’s no surprise the Green Falcons have emerged as Mancini’s next landing spot. An unprecedented cash influx from the Middle East has changed the football landscape these past couple of months.
Some of Europe’s most pre-eminent players have embraced the riches of the loaded Gulf country. The Saudis’ ambitious project has already seduced the likes of Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Riyad Mahrez, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, among others.
But it goes beyond just the players. Highly-rated manager Matthias Jaissle left RB Salzburg for Al-Ahli, while former Benfica boss Jorge Jesus leads Al-Hilal from the touchline. Saudi Arabia’s plan to build a proverbial paradise for Europe’s household names won’t bypass Mancini.
Saudi Arabia have been on the lookout for a new head coach since Herve Renard left the job after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. His heir Dariusz Zuraw could hand over the reins to Mancini, who led Italy to Euro 2020 glory two years ago.
While the former Inter manager could find safe haven in Riyadh, Italy have cast a wide net to fill the void. Antonio Conte and Luciano Spalletti have been taken under consideration, with Gli Azzurri facing a race against time to land a new coach ahead of September’s international window.
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