2016-17 could possibly mark the end of Arsene Wenger’s reign at Arsenal and it appears Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is already eyeing the hot seat at the Emirates and is keen to take over from the Frenchman when he leaves
Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri is reportedly keen on taking the Arsenal job with Arsene Wenger expected to leave at the end of the ongoing season, having served the terms of his contract. According to the Sun, the 49-year-old is eager to build his own ‘dynasty’ with the Gunners as he prepares to leave the Bianconeri at the end of the 2016-17 campaign.
Allegri’s agent is understood to have been in contact with Arsenal over a possible job at the Emirates next year and it remains to be seen who will take their place on the touchline come August of next year. The club has compiled a shortlist of possible successors to the Frenchman and some have been contacted to gauge their interest.
The likes of Eddie Howe, Diego Simeone and Ralph Rasenhuttl are some of the names doing the rounds for the post of the Arsenal job and while none of the aforementioned names have particularly spoken about their interest for the Emirates job, the fact that Allegri has initiated contact himself through his agent should make the north London club’s work easier.
The Italian certainly brings title-winning pedigree with him, and should be a good choice to bring some of the glory days back to Arsenal. The Gunners have been consistent performers under Wenger but have lacked the ruthlessness and desire to go the extra mile and emerge victorious in a league campaign in recent years, and Allegri may help account for that.
Few managers have been as influential in European football in recent years as Allegri has been with Juventus since taking over from Antonio Conte in 2014. The Italian has since led his side to 2 consecutive Serie A titles, 2 Italian Cups, a Super Coppa and a Champions League final appearance.
Prior to his managerial period at Juventus, Allegri enjoyed an ambivalent spell at AC Milan. He enjoyed towering success in his first season in-charge by securing the Rossoneri’s first Scudetto since 2004, and even guided them to a Super Coppa title the following season.
That success, however, was followed by a series of controversies and poor decisions on and off the pitch along with the retirement and departure of a number of key professionals, and left Milan in a spot of bother in the beginning of the 2012-13 campaign.
Although Allegri helped his side forge a comeback, his team’s exploits in the following season did little to help his case as he eventually received the sack in January 2014, 6 months before he landed the Juventus job.
