Newcastle United have expressed an interest in making Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso their new manager, as reported by Calciomercato.
While Steve Bruce’s job is under no immediate pressure – he remains Mike Ashley’s man after all – it’s far from guaranteed the Geordie gaffer will still be at the helm of his boyhood club when 2021/22 kicks off.
The prospect of fans returning to St James’ Park and expressing their dissatisfaction at Newcastle’s much-maligned manager and their even more unpopular owner isn’t one that would bring Ashley much joy.
And, according to reports in Italy, there’s a chance the Sports Direct tycoon could swap an old-school tracksuit manager for someone very different.
Someone who would get pulses racing again on Tyneside.
Gattuso, the 2006 World Cup winner, is viewed by many as one of the most exciting young coaches in Europe. The snarling, bone-crunching midfielder was a leader of men on the pitch – and it seems he’s a leader off it too.
After putting a directionless AC Milan side back on the straight and narrow, Gattuso guided Napoli to the 2020 Coppa Italia title last season.
The Partenopei have also recovered from a difficult start to the current campaign and, with four games left, could still overhaul Gattuso’s old employers to seal a Champions League berth.
Gattuso was expected to walk away from Napoli but a terrific run of results – just one defeat in 12 Serie A games – appears to have changed things.
So, with Calciomercato reporting Newcastle made their interest known this afternoon, Napoli may have a difficult decision to make on their opinion-splitting coach.
The report backs up previous claims suggesting Wolverhampton Wanderers also see Gattuso as a potential Nuno Espirito Santo replacement. Gattuso’s representative, unsurprisingly, is none other than Jorge Mendes.
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