Former Italy international Salvatore Bagni believes former Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri should target a return to the Premier League with either Tottenham Hotspur or Arsenal, while speaking to SGLR, via AreaNapoli.
When Mikel Arteta and Jose Mourinho put pen to paper in North London less than two years ago, the brief was simple; take two of England’s traditional big-hitters back to where they belong: near the summit of the Premier League table.
Flash forward to February 2021, however, and an eleventh-placed Arsenal are closer to the relegation zone than they are to Manchester City in top spot.
Spurs, meanwhile, are now nine points adrift of the Champions League cut-off after a season-ruining run of five defeats in six games.
The Telegraph claims that Tottenham are already casting their eyes over potential replacements for the much-maligned Mourinho.
With Brendan Rodgers and Julian Nagelsmann well-placed to secure a place in the Champions League, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy would have one hell of a challenge on his hands luring one of Europe’s most highly-rated managers away from Leicester City or RB Leipzig.
Sarri, in contrast, is available after being sacked by Juventus at the end of 2019/20.
“If I were in Maurizio Sarri I would choose Tottenham or Arsenal. It would be a great possibility,” said Bagni, the former Napoli, Inter Milan and Italy ace.
“For Arsenal, we are not talking about a winning team. In recent years, it’s not like they have achieved such sensational results.”
Chain-smoking, possession-enthusiast Sarri secured a top-four place while battering Arsenal in the Europa League final during his one and only season at Chelsea.
Yet it is fair to say he is not remembered all that fondly by Stamford Bridge supporters, who quickly grew tired with his drab, paint-by-numbers football and an apparent reluctance to trust in the club’s exciting young talent.
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