Baku, July 28, AZERTAC
Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) President Giovanni Malagò told a meeting of the federation's council on Tuesday that Roberto Mancini will be the new coach of the national team, ANSA sources said.
It will be former Sampdoria and Lazio forward Mancini's second stint in charge of the Azzurri.
They won Euro 2020 with him on the bench but they also failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup under him before he left the national team in 2023 for a lucrative but ill-fated stint in charge of Saudi Arabia.
He is currently a free agent after a spell with Qatar's Al-Sadd.
The FIGC has turned to Mancini in turmoil following the 'non-appointment' of Andrea Pirlo to the job.
The former AC Milan and Juventus midfield maestro, a key member of Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning team, had looked set to get the job following Pep Guardiola's refusal last week, but Malagò reportedly sank the appointment after a furore erupted over Pirlo's sponsorship of Russian betting agency Fonbet.
FIGC Technical Director Paolo Maldini and advisor Leonardo have reportedly quit after less than three weeks in the job over that decision.
Pirlo was reportedly seen by Maldini as the next-best-option following Guardiola's refusal.
Former Leicester City and AS Roma boss Cladio Ranieri is set to become the FIGC's new technical director, the sources said.