Spezia ‘want ex-Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri to replace Fiorentina-bound Vincenzo Italiano’

Spezia reportedly want Premier League winning manager Claudio Ranieri to replace the outgoing Vincenzo Italiano.

Current boss Italiano is understood to be close to be moving to Fiorentina, leaving a managerial vacancy at the Stadio Alberto Picco. 

And according to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Serie A side want Ranieri, who is leaving Sampdoria this summer, to replace him.

Spezia reportedly want former Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri to replace Vincenzo Italiano

Ranieri left fellow Serie A side Sampdoria after two years in charge and could succeed Italiano

Italiano guided Spezia to their first ever season in the Italian top-flight after beating Frosinone in the promotion play-offs in 2019-20.

Last season the 43-year-old guided the Aquilotti to a safe 15th-placed finish, six points clear of relegation, but is understood to be on the verge of moving to La Viola on a two-year deal with an option for a third, for a fee of around £850,000.

Fiorentina are themselves looking for a new coach after Gennaro Gattuso dramatically walked out only 22 days after agreeing to join due to disagreements about the recruitment of players suggested by agent Jorge Mendes. 

The 69-year-old led the Foxes to an astounding, odds-defying Premier League title in 2015-16

Ranieri, 69, announced in May that he was leaving Sampdoria at the end of the two-year contract he signed back in 2019, wanting a new challenge with which to continue his 35-year managerial career.

The former Chelsea boss joined in October that year after six defeats in their first seven matches, steered them to safety before steering them to ninth in his second season. 

According to Football Italia, Eugenio Corini, Davide Nicola and Marco Giampaolo  are being linked with the Spezia job, with reports suggesting Ranieri is not top of Spezia owner Robert Platek’s shortlist for the Ligurian side.