Montero terminates Juventus to join Balotelli & Douglas Costa | OneFootball

Former Juventus Next Gen head coach Paolo Montero has reportedly rescinded his contract with the club as he prepares to take over Al-Ittifaq.

The legendary defender represented the Bianconeri between 1996 and 2005, before returning to Turin in recent years in a managerial role.

After acquiring some experience in South America, Juventus appointed Montero as their Primavera head coach in the summer of 2022.

Montero has been on Juve’s payroll since 2022

The 54-year-old had a decent two-year spell that saw him working with the likes of Kenan Yildiz and Dean Huijsen, among other exciting youngsters. He was also entrusted with the first team for the final two matches of the 2023/24 season following Max Allegri’s unceremonious sacking in the aftermath of his infamous Coppa Italia final outburst.

In the summer of 2024, Montero was promoted to Juventus Next Gen, replacing Massimo Brambilla. However, the Uruguayan endured a woeful run that saw the team facing relegation to Serie D.

Paolo Montero (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

With the second team’s future on the line, the management decided to act swiftly and decisively, sacking Montero in November 2024 and bringing back Brambilla, who managed to steady the ship.

But while the tough-tackling centre-back had remained on the club’s books ever since, he has reportedly terminated his contract to embark on a new career chapter.

Al-Ittifaq set to appoint Paolo Montero

According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Montero has reached an agreement with Al-Ittifaq, so he’s now expected to be appointed the club’s new manager in the coming hours or days.

The Emirati side currently plays in the UAE’s second tier, but they have already showed their ambitious with some big-name signings, especially Mario Balotelli, who arrived on a free transfer.

Al-Ittifaq also secured the services of former Juventus winger Douglas Costa and former Torino midfielder Daniele Baselli. The duo currently play with Al-Ittifaq’s sister club, Chievo Verona, in Serie D, before making the move to the Middle East next season.