Gennaro Gattuso left his role as Fiorentina coach on Thursday after being associated with the club for 23 days. Gattuso joined as ACF Fiorentina manager on May 25 for a two-year contract with the club. The former Napoli and Milan boss accepted the role under a month ago, replacing Beppe Iachini. Gattuso was supposed to take his position as Fiorentina boss from July 1.
A statement on the club’s official website reads: “ACF Fiorentina and Mister Rino Gattuso, by mutual agreement, have decided not to follow up on the previous agreements and therefore not to start the next football season together.
“The Company immediately set to work to identify a technical choice that will guide the Viola team towards the results that Fiorentina and the City of Florence deserve.”
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Gattuso, a former defensive midfielder who won the 2006 World Cup with Italy and two Champions League titles with AC Milan. Gattuso’s midfield partnership with Andrea Pirlo, both at club and international level, played a key role in Italy’s World Cup victory in 2006.
Gattuso succeeded Carlo Ancelotti as Napoli coach in December 2019 and led them to Copa Italia glory in June 2020. The 43-year-old World Cup winner was appointed to a new Serie A post on May 25 leaving Napoli at the end of 2020-21 season. However, Napoli missed out on the 2020/2021 season’s main target i.e.Champions League qualification.
Gattuso took over from Giuseppe Iachini, who left Fiorentina twice in six months. Iachini started last season in charge, was fired and replaced by Cesare Prandelli in December but recalled when Prandelli quit in March.
Gattuso is said to have clashed with the board regarding his potential targets for the summer window. Gattuso was interested in including the likes of Nico Gonzalez and Sergio Oliviera to the squad. Gattuso wanted to sign Portugal midfielder Sergio Oliveira from Porto but Fiorentina management hesitated over a transfer fee of 20M euros, Italian media reported. Gattuso also wanted the team to get Portugal winger Gonçalo Guedes from Valencia.
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The Sky Sport report claims Gattuso and his agent Jorge Mendes had recommended that Fiorentina sign the likes of Porto midfielder Sergio Oliveira and Valencia forward Goncalo Guedes, but Commisso wants cheaper targets.
Gattuso’s departure has increased the pressure on Fiorentina’s U.S. owner Rocco B. Commisso who has seen five managerial changes in just two seasons, which have yielded 10th and 13th-place finishes.
According to Calciomercato, Sportitalia & Sky Sport Italia, there is growing tension at the club between Gattuso, President Rocco Commisso and former Club legend Giancarlo Antognoni.
He wanted guarantees that the team would improve in the upcoming summer transfer market. The representatives of both parties met on Thursday to cancel the former AC Milan midfielder’s agreement with the club.
Former Lyon boss Rudi Garcia is the favoured option for those at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Rudi Garcia who has managed Roma, Lille, Marseille in the past is leading the race to become the boss of the Tuscany Club.
