Everton and Arsenal are not the only Premier League clubs keen to bring Ancelotti back to England, the Hammers are allegedly keen too.
West Ham United have joined Premier League rivals Everton and Arsenal in pursuit of the now-departed Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti, according to the Independent.
While the Gunners and the Toffees find themselves without a head coach heading into a gruelling festive fixture schedule, Manuel Pellegrini appears to be hanging by his fingernails at the London Stadium.
The Guardian reports that the veteran Chilean could be sacked if West Ham lose to fellow strugglers Southampton over the weekend with Chris Hughton and David Moyes lined up as potential replacements.
But Ancelotti, with his expressive eyebrows and seven European trophies, adds a dash of continental flair to proceedings.
The former Real Madrid, Chelsea, PSG and Bayern Munich boss was handed his P45 by Napoli on Tuesday despite a 4-0 Champions League thrashing of Genk, with a long-running dispute between the coach, the players and outspoken president Aurelio di Laurentiis making his position all-but untenable.
The Independent reports that a return to England is now on the cards for a man who won the Premier League title with Chelsea in 2010, scoring 103 goals along the way. West Ham, who have apparently ‘balked’ at Rafa Benitez’s colossal release-clause at Dalian Yifang, have shown an interest – and not for the first time.
“I would coach West Ham – why not,” Ancelotti told the now-defunct News of the World back in 2011. “The atmosphere at West Ham is amazing and I can say the same about football in the Championship.”
The Mirror (16 May, page 49) reported a year-and-a-half ago however that Ancelotti had rejected the chance to replace the sour-faced Scot Moyes at the London Stadium.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
