GUN CHIEFS MASSI-VELY IMPRESSED
ARSENAL are homing in on Massimiliano Allegri after being blown away by how he masterminded Tottenham’s Champions League exit.
The Gunners have also been eyeing Hoffenheim’s whizz-kid manager Julian Nagelsmann as a potential replacement for Arsene Wenger this summer, as revealed in Starsport.
But chief executive Ivan Gazidis was hugely impressed by Juventus’ stunning recovery at Wembley when they turned round a 1-0 deficit on the night to win 2-1 and go through on aggregate after Allegri made a tactical switch.
Gazidis is also understood to have noted the strong, collective spirit in the Italian champions’ team – something the Gunners have been accused of lacking.
Arsenal’s head of recruitment Sven Mislintat – who was lured from Borussia Dortmund last summer – has been promoting the case of Nagelsmann.
But Juve’s Wembley masterclass appears to have persuaded Gazidis to put Allegri, 50, at the top of his wanted list.
He has spent the past year learning English and in the past three seasons he has done the double with the Turin giants and taken them to two Champions League finals.
Nagelsmann, at 30, would be a gamble but is likely to be easier to land.
If they do decide to go all out for Allegri, a lack of Champions League football at the Emirates could be an issue.
Ironically, winning the Europa League looks like Arsenal’s only way back into the competition but ®
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®Êby DAVID WOODS success in it could make it tough to axe Wenger.
Owner Stan Kroenke remains a fan of the Frenchman but Gazidis is keener on a change.
Kroenke could be persuaded it is time for him to go if fans continue to snub matches, with around a quarter of the seats not filled for Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Watford.
With Arsenal 2-0 up from the away leg, American tycoon Kroenke will be watching closely to see how many stay away from their Europa League second leg against AC Milan on Thursday.
Gazidis expects to sit down with Wenger, 69, at the end of the season to negotiate his departure despite him still having a year left on his contract.
Ex-Liverpool manager and current Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is also under consideration.
But it appears the club have ruled out a move for ex-Milan, Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti – who is 59 in June – despite him being available and letting it be known he is keen on the job.