Former Marseille boss leading candidate for Italy coaching vacancy | OneFootball

Former Olympique de Marseille manager Gennaro Gattuso is on the verge of becoming the new manager of Italy, with journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting that an agreement could be reached in the coming days.

The man who helped the Italians win the World Cup in 2006 over France recently left his role as manager of Croatian club Hadjuk Split earlier this month. In 2023-24 Gattuso served as manager of Marseille but was sacked after just five months on the job, winning nine of his 24 matches at the helm of the French side.

Former AS Monaco and FC Nantes coach Claudio Ranieri was approached to take over from Luciano Spalletti, who was dismissed earlier this month, but declined.

Italy have three points from two group matches in 2026 World Cup qualifying, currently outside of the play-off positions.

As a manager, Gattuso led Napoli to the Coppa Italia in 2019-20, winning that trophy once as a player along with two Serie A crowns and a pair of UEFA Champions League titles as well.

Gattuso officially retired from the national team at the end of their 2010 World Cup campaign, with his side losing 3-2 to Slovakia and exiting in the group phase of that tournament for the first time since 1974.

GFFN | Joel Lefevre