Maurizio Sarri has been appointed as Lazio’s head coach, replacing Simone Inzaghi.
The former Chelsea and Juventus boss has put pen to paper on a two-year deal with the Serie A club worth around £2.6m per season after days of talks.
According to Sky in Italy, Sarri’s first request to Lazio for this summer’s transfer window is to secure the loan signing of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who enjoyed his most prolific season under the Italian at Chelsea in the 2018/19 season.
Sarri had been out of work since being sacked by Juventus in August 2020, despite winning the Serie A title in his sole season in charge, and was still under contract with the Old Lady.
His failure to lead Juventus past Lyon in the last 16 of the Champions League – the first time they had failed to reach the quarter-finals in four years – led to his departure.
Sarri was sacked a day after the defeat to the Ligue 1 side, his job already under pressure after losing to Napoli in the final of the Coppa Italia earlier in the season.
He attracted interest from a host of European clubs including Roma and Lyon this season but would only consider returning to management in the summer.
The 62-year-old takes over from Inzaghi, who last week signed a two-year deal to replace Antonio Conte at Inter Milan.
Inzaghi’s contract at Lazio ran out this summer and he verbally agreed an extension last month, before performing a U-turn to join Inter on more favourable terms.
“We respect the change of mind of a coach and, first of all, of a player who for many years has linked his name to the Lazio family and to the many club achievements,” Lazio commented in a statement.
Lazio finished sixth in Serie A last season, qualifying for next season’s Europa League group stage, while they were knocked out by Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16 with a 6-2 aggregate loss.