Carlo Ancelotti to snub Italy as the ex-Chelsea chief prefers Premier League return
Italian is wanted by his national team after Bayern Munich axe last month but has been strongly linked with Arsenal
CARLO Ancelotti will turn down the chance to take over as Italy boss - because he wants to come back to the Premier League.
Former Chelsea chief Ancelotti is out of work after his shock sacking by Bayern Munich.
The veteran former Juventus, Milan, PSG and Real Madrid manager has been targeted by his nation’s bosses after the Azzurri were consigned to a 2018 World Cup play-off.
Senior figures at the Italian FA have already drawn up plans to replace current coach Gian Piero Ventura either after next summer’s tournament or sooner if the side lose next month’s play-off for a place in Russia.
Ancelotti was sounded out by the federation over succeeding Ventura.
But while the 58-year-old would like to lead his country at some point in the future he informed the Italian FA he intends to take the rest of the season as a sabbatical before returning to club management.
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Ancelotti’s preference would be to take a Premier League job with a return to Chelsea a possibility should his former club ask him to replace Antonio Conte in the summer.
He has also been strongly linked with Arsenal, with Liverpool another possibility should Jurgen Klopp leave.
Ancelotti has told friends that the experience of handling Bayern’s fractious dressing room had tired him and he intends to make the most of the opportunity to have a break from football.
Bayern axed Ancelotti when they ended September only third in the Bundesliga and fresh from a 3-0 Champions League thumping against Paris Saint-Germain.
He said at the time: “I don’t know if my way of approaching the work is the right one.
“When I left Madrid, they told me I was too close to the players, then Bayern Munich fired me because they said I had a bad rapport with the players.
“I just want to have a rapport with people.
“Were the players against me? I don’t know. I respected all of them, but as a coach I have to make a choice to send 11 onto the pitch and seven to the bench.
“It’s down to the intelligence of the players to accept the choices, and to the club to support their coach.
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