Report Montero to terminate Juventus contract and join Balotelli at Al-Ittifaq | OneFootball

Paolo Montero, former coach of the Juventus Next Gen team and caretaker manager of the senior squad, is terminating his contract to take over Mario Balotelli’s Al-Ittifaq.

According to multiple sources including Sky Sport Italia and La Gazzetta dello Sport, the negotiations are effectively down to the details and it will be made official within 48 hours.

Montero spent a big chunk of his playing career in Italy with Atalanta and Juventus, before returning to South America in 2005 and retiring in 2007.

Montero bond with Juventus

epa11368994 Juventus coach Pablo Montero during the Italian Serie A soccer match of Juventus FC against AC Monza, in Florence, Italy, 25 May 2024. EPA-EFE/Alessandro Di Marco

He came back to Juve as a coach for their youth academy in 2022, moving up to the Under-19 side.

When Max Allegri was sacked in May 2024, Montero took over as interim coach of the senior Juventus squad for the final two games of the season.

However, after taking the Next Gen job, the Uruguayan was fired in November 2024, just 15 games into the new season.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA – OCTOBER 17: Paolo Montero coach of San Lorenzo leaves the pitch after losing a match between River Plate and San Lorenzo as part of Torneo Liga Profesional 2021 at Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti on October 17, 2021 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

His contract is still valid, though, and must be terminated by mutual consent before he can sign on as the coach of Al-Ittifaq.

This will allow him to work with former Italy international Balotelli, who joined the same UAE club as a free agent last month at the age of 35.