Arsenal have entered talks over a deal to bring Maurizio Sarri back to the Premier League as Mikel Arteta’s replacement, as reported by Football Italia.
Well, it’s certainly been a strange day for managerial moves.
Absolutely nobody woke up on Tuesday morning expecting to see Jose Mourinho signing a contract with a new club.
Just hours after Roma confirmed the departure of Paulo Fonseca, it was announced that the preening Portuguese would be taking over at the Italian giants in time for next season.
It was no surprise to see Fonseca depart. That had been on the cards for a while.
But if anyone was going to replace the former Porto boss, it was supposed to be Maurizio Sarri.
Calciomercato claimed just a few days ago that Sarri and Roma were closing in on an agreement, with the chain-smoking 62-year-old demanding a £4 million-a-year contract at the Stadio Olimpico.
Now, Mourinho has slammed that particular door in Sarri’s face. But that does not mean the 2020 Serie A champion will be out of work for too much longer.
Because Football Italia are reporting that Arsenal have suddenly opened talks with Sarri, some two years after his Chelsea side thrashed Unai Emery’s Gunners 4-1 in the Europa League final.
The report adds that Sarri will replace the increasingly under-fire Arteta, who may be put out of his misery at the end of a dismal 2020/21. Arsenal are currently clinging onto a top-half place and face an uphill battle to reach the Europa League final too.
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