Dusan Vlahovic only joined Juventus from Fiorentina last January on a four-year deal, but he could be on the move already.

That is part of the immediate fallout from the Serie A giants' 15-point deduction for alleged financial irregularities and false accounting.

Juventus will appeal the court decision but it does leave them in a major battle to remain in European contention, slipping to 10th already, and reports suggest they will have a tough task on their hands to keep hold of some of their key players.

 

TOP STORY – VLAHOVIC OFFERED TO MAN UTD

Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic has been offered to Manchester United according to 90min, amid the fallout from the Bianconeri's 15-point deduction.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have also been alerted to his availability.

Playing Champions League football is key for the Serbian striker, who has 16 goals in 36 games for Juventus, and the club understands the player's position and could sell in January or at the end of the season.

 

ROUND-UP

Jude Bellingham is set to turn down a new Borussia Dortmund contract offer, with Manchester City confident they are in the box seat to land him, reports the Star. Liverpool and Real Madrid are also interested in the England midfielder.

Arsenal have commenced discussions with Ivan Fresneda as they look to sign the Real Valladolid right-back, according to Fabrizio Romano.

– Sport reports that Chelsea are willing to exchange Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie.

Roma are set to move for Udinese forward Gerard Deulofeu should they sell Nicolo Zaniolo, claims Calciomercato.

– The Athletic reports Manchester City are discussing a contract extension with Ilkay Gundogan amid interest from Barcelona.

– The Daily Mail claims that Frank Lampard is on the verge of being sacked as Everton manager following Saturday's 2-0 loss to West Ham.

A staple of the European game for the best part of two decades, seeing Cristiano Ronaldo make his Al Nassr bow in Saudi Arabia will undoubtedly be strange for many.

His move was completed in December following widespread reports linking him with a Saudi switch ever since he and Manchester United parted ways the previous month.

Ronaldo featured in a kind of Saudi all-star XI match against Paris Saint-Germain during the week but will make his official Al Nassr debut on Sunday to essentially bring the curtain down on one of the greatest careers in the history of European football.

While writing off Ronaldo is always unwise, a combination of the striker's age and the unsavoury nature of his second spell at United make a return to elite European football seem improbable.

Nevertheless, as a five-time Champions League winner and the top scorer in the history of European football's premier club competition, Ronaldo's legacy as one of the all-time greats is secure.

But with seven top-flight league titles and a plethora of other trophies to his name, Ronaldo's impact on the continental game went beyond his goals on the grandest club stage.

Ahead of Al Nassr's clash with Al Ittifaq, Stats Perform looks back on his seismic impact in European club football.

Ronaldo's Premier League emergence

Ronaldo's return to the Premier League may not have gone to plan – the 37-year-old only scored once in the competition this term before an explosive interview with Piers Morgan led to his Old Trafford exit.

However, the three-time Premier League winner certainly made his mark in England, scoring 103 goals in 236 top-flight games for United.

Having burst onto the scene as a tricky winger, Ronaldo recorded 37 assists in the competition for the Red Devils, who he also helped to their third European title in 2008.

He also claimed his first Ballon d'Or while in Manchester in 2008 after scoring 31 goals in their title-winning 2007-08 campaign – that single-season tally has only been bettered by three players in the competition's history.

Making history with Madrid in LaLiga

Given the way his United spell ended, it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo will be remembered as an Old Trafford legend or not. But there's no doubt about his legacy at Real Madrid, where he really made his name as one of football's greatest as he became Los Blancos' top scorer with 450 goals in all competitions.

Incredibly, the Portugal forward averaged over a goal per game throughout his trophy-laden spell in Spain, hitting the net 311 times in 292 appearances in LaLiga.

Ronaldo scored with 16 per cent of his shots for Madrid, a higher percentage than he managed in the Premier League, Serie A or the Champions League. 

Madrid may be famed for their Champions League accomplishments, but Ronaldo also helped them to two domestic title triumphs in 2011-12 and 2016-17, netting 46 times as Jose Mourinho's side earned 100 points in the first of those campaigns.

Serie A success with the Bianconeri

Given Juventus' failure to win the Champions League, few consider Ronaldo's time in Turin to be an unmitigated success. The raw numbers, however, suggest otherwise.

Managing 81 goals in 98 league appearances for a club in perpetual crisis – with a conversion rate of 15 per cent – tells the story of how Ronaldo evolved in Serie A, honing his game as the ultimate penalty-box forward in his advancing years.

Despite a tumultuous period that saw Maurizio Sarri replace Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus stretched their incredible run of Scudetto success to nine consecutive seasons.

That stint ended in Ronaldo's final full campaign at the Allianz Stadium, though he still finished as Serie A's top scorer with 29 goals. 

The Champions League master

For those who believe Ronaldo to be the greatest to have played the game, the Portugal forward's exploits in the Champions League are always the crucial factor.

Ronaldo's record of 140 goals in the competition is unmatched, though his great rival Lionel Messi (129) may have something to say about that if he declines to follow his fellow forward's lead in exiting Europe.

Averaging almost a goal contribution per game (180 in 183 appearances), Ronaldo won an astonishing 115 games in the Champions League, lifting the trophy five times – a joint-high tally.

As Madrid cemented their status as European masters by winning three consecutive titles between the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons, Ronaldo top-scored in the competition every season, consolidating his legacy as the ultimate big-game player.

Napoli must seize their "unprecedented opportunity" to win the Scudetto after reaching 50 points at the halfway mark of the Serie A season by beating Salernitana, says Luciano Spalletti.

Goals from Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Victor Osimhen helped Napoli to a routine 2-0 victory over the strugglers on Saturday, moving them 12 points clear of second-placed Milan ahead of the Rossoneri's trip to Lazio on Tuesday.

The result made Napoli just the third team to reach 50 points in the first half of a Serie A season, after Juventus (in 2013-14 and 2018-19) and Inter (in 2006-07).

No side has ever failed to win Serie A after reaching a half-century of points at this stage of a campaign, and head coach Spalletti knows Napoli have an incredible opportunity to claim their first league title since 1990. 

"We know that we have an unprecedented opportunity," Spalletti told DAZN after the win. "We must not squander the possibilities we have. We must remain humble and do things professionally."

Napoli had to remain patient before making the breakthrough in Salerno, recording their lowest shot tally in the first half of a Serie A match (two) since February 2021 (one v Atalanta).

The Partenopei were good value for their victory after Di Lorenzo hammered home on the stroke of half-time, however, leading Spalletti to praise the way they improved as the game went on.  

"These matches can be conditioned by us having too much responsibility," he said.

"You have to take the field with the right mentality and always play football well, with the correct rhythm, which is what makes you win the games. 

"In the first half we couldn't find the spaces and indeed we could have risked some dangerous restarts. In the second half, however, everyone did very well."

As well as his first goal of the season in Serie A, Di Lorenzo's opener represented his first league strike on the road since he found the net at Sassuolo in March 2021.

Reflecting on Napoli's incredible campaign to date, the captain credited his team-mates for their response to the pre-season exits of key players including Kalidou Koulibaly, Fabian Ruiz, Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens.

"It's a beautiful first half [of the season]," he said. "We lost important players last summer, but we got off to a great start with a new group. We have to continue like this.

"We've improved a lot in game management. We know that every game will be difficult. Tonight's is a great victory."

Dusan Vlahovic and Leonardo Bonucci aimed to rally the troops after Juventus were served with a 15-point deduction.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed on Friday that Juve would be punished in the wake of an investigation into the club's past transfer dealings.

Ex-Juve director Fabio Paratici – who is now at Tottenham – as well as former chairman Andrea Agnelli were also handed long bans from Italian football.

The deduction has seen Juve drop from third to 10th ahead of Sunday's meeting with Atalanta, which had been set to be a tussle between two teams embroiled in a fight for Champions League qualification.

But Vlahovic, a big-money acquisition from Fiorentina last year, had a bullish message.

"We are not afraid of losing a few points," the 22-year-old posted on Instagram. 

"We are not afraid of rolling our sleeves up. We are not afraid of our opponents. We must not be afraid of anything.

"Because when they think we have fallen, we'll get back up stronger than ever.

"This is us, this is Juventus."

Captain Bonucci had a similar message.

He posted on Instagram: "Juventus are like a seven-headed dragon: cut one off and another will always emerge. She never gives up."

Massimiliano Allegri acknowledged Juventus must "do something extraordinary" to qualify for the Champions League following their 15-point deduction.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed the punishment on Friday following an investigation into the Bianconeri's past transfer dealings, though the club confirmed their intention to appeal the sanction.

Former president Andrea Agnelli and former chief executive Maurizio Arrivabene also received two-year bans from Italian football, while former sporting director Fabio Paratici, who is now at Tottenham, was given a 30-month ban.

Juve, who were third in the Serie A table, subsequently slipped to 10th and 12 points off the Champions League places with 20 matches remaining.

"When they told me that the request was nine points, I immediately made the calculation on the distance from the Champions League," Allegri said ahead of the Bianconeri's clash with Atalanta on Sunday.

"When the sentence of 15 points arrived, I made another one – points that would be needed to go to the Champions League. To get there, you have to do something extraordinary."

But Allegri has urged his players to demonstrate unity in the wake of the sanction and remain focused on the task in hand – starting with the visit of Atalanta.

"It's a special game after what happened yesterday," he added. "We must all unite even more, continue to work with a low profile. We, the staff and the players, just have to think about the pitch.

"Nothing [changes], we still have to score points. We have to try to win tomorrow. Atalanta are in great physical shape. We play at home, and it is to be faced in the best way. We have to try to do the best we can.

"We must not start again, these judicial events concern society. There will be an appeal, as the lawyers have communicated. We must think only of the field.

"Given the new standings, which is a fact for the moment, we have 22 points, and we must try to win tomorrow to get to 25."

New York Yankees president Randy Levine has joined the board of Serie A football giants Milan, it was revealed on Saturday.

The move tightens the connection between the two sporting titans, with Yankee Global Enterprises, which owns the Major League Baseball team, having acquired a minority stake when investment firm RedBird Capital took ownership of Milan last August in a €1.2billion deal.

In a statement, Milan said: "AC Milan today announced that Randy Levine, president of the New York Yankees, has joined the club's board of directors.

"Mr Levine has been the president of the New York Yankees for over 20 years and is recognised globally as one of the most accomplished executives in the sports and entertainment industries."

Milan chairman Paolo Scaroni said of Levine: "His experience and expertise will integrate with ours, contributing to the growth path of the club and creating opportunities to expand its global appeal.

"The appointment of Randy will help us develop new synergies at a global level, in line with RedBird's strategic vision, opening new horizons for the club and its fans."

Forbes last year listed the Yankees, owned by the Steinbrenner family, as the fourth most valuable sports team in the world, with an estimated value of $6billion.

Seven-time European champions Milan won Italy's Serie A title in 2021-22, ending an 11-year wait. They entered this weekend sitting second in the 2022-23 championship, with Napoli the leaders.

Manchester United are reportedly planning an audacious move for Tottenham star and England captain Harry Kane at the end of the season.

Kane, 29, has put together a spectacular goalscoring resume during his time at Spurs. He is one goal away from tying Jimmy Greaves as the club's all-time leading scorer, while he has already tied Wayne Rooney for the most goals in an England shirt, and is third all-time for Premier League goals.

This season has been more of the same, as Kane has started all 20 of Antonio Conte's side's league fixtures and hit 15 goals, trailing only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (22) in the race for the golden boot.

Tottenham have no interest in parting ways with their frontman, but his contract situation could force their hand.

 

TOP STORY – KANE INTERESTED IN A MOVE TO OLD TRAFFORD

According to the Daily Mail, United boss Erik ten Hag has put Kane at the top of his recruitment plans at the conclusion of the season, when the 29-year-old will have only 12 months remaining on his contract.

Crucially, the report states Kane "is open to joining United", providing further indication that he is unlikely to sign an extension to remain at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs will demand a fee of at least £85million, while Bild adds both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid remain interested.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Guardian is reporting Liverpool will look to pursue 24-year-old Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount at the end of the season if he does not sign an extension at Stamford Bridge.

– According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal are hoping to bring in 20-year-old Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga on a short-term loan.

– Calciomercato is reporting West Ham have proposed a loan with a mandatory £30m (€34m) buy clause for Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, but the Italian side want an immediate permanent deal.

Roma will look to replace Zaniolo with 23-year-old Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi, who is valued at €30m, per Gazzetta dello Sport.

– The Daily Mail is reporting Leicester City have returned with a second offer for 24-year-old Stoke City and Australia centre-back Harry Souttar after their initial £10m bid was rejected.

Juventus have confirmed they intend to appeal against their 15-point deduction as they consider it "a clear injustice towards millions of fans".

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed the punishment on Friday following an investigation into the 36-time Italian champions' past transfer dealings.

Juve have slipped from third in Serie A to 10th and are 12 points off the Champions League places with 20 matches left to play.

The FIGC also hit the club's former president Andrea Agnelli and former chief executive Maurizio Arrivabene with two-year bans from Italian football.

Former sporting director Fabio Paratici, who is now at Tottenham, has been given a 30-month ban.

However, the Bianconeri have always denied any wrongdoing and hope the sanctions will be overturned on appeal.

A statement by the club's lawyers read: "Today's acceptance of the appeal for revocation by the Federal Court of Appeal seems to us to constitute a clear unequal treatment to the detriment of Juventus and its managers compared to any other club or registered player.

"We are waiting to carefully read the reasons for presenting the appeal before the Sports Guarantee College. However, we point out, as of now, that only Juventus and its managers are attributed the violation of a rule, which the sports justice itself had repeatedly recognised did not exist. 

"We believe that this is a clear injustice also towards millions of fans, which we trust will soon be remedied in the next level of judgement."

Turin Public Prosecutor's Office had been seeking a nine-point deduction following a hearing earlier on Friday.

But the FIGC announced a harsher punishment after Juve were found to have used transfers to artificially boost their balance sheet.

The sanctions come on the back of chairman Agnelli and the rest of the Bianconeri's board resigning en masse last year.

That came in the wake of an investigation being launched into financial violations during their time in charge.

A separate ruling made last year acquitted Juve and other clubs of their financial conduct within Serie A, with a case centred on player values in exchanges and transfers.

But football prosecutors reopened the case against Juve after seeking new documents collected by public prosecutors in Turin surrounding the club's conduct.

Juventus have been deducted 15 points in the wake of an investigation into the club's past transfer dealings.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed the news on Friday, with ex-Juve director Fabio Paratici – who is now at Tottenham – given a two-and-a-half-year ban from Italian football.

Paratici's ban includes a request for an extension to cover UEFA and FIFA activities, meaning potentially a big knock-on impact for Premier League side Spurs.

Former Juve chairman Andrea Agnelli has also been banned from holding office in Italian football for the next two years.

It has been widely reported the decision is likely to be appealed by Juve.

The Bianconeri had been third in Serie A, but have now dropped to 10th – 12 points off the Champions League places – as a result of the punishment.

Turin Public Prosecutor's Office had been seeking a nine-point deduction following a hearing earlier on Friday.

But the FIGC went with a harsher punishment after Juve were found to have used transfers to artificially boost their balance sheet.

The sanction comes on the back of chairman Agnelli, vice-president Pavel Nedved and the rest of the Bianconeri's board resigning en-masse last year.

That came in the wake of an investigation being launched into financial violations during their time in charge.

A separate ruling made last year acquitted Juve and other clubs of their financial conduct within Serie A, with a case centred on player values in exchanges and transfers.

But football prosecutors reopened the case Juve after seeking new documents collected by public prosecutors in Turin surrounding the club's conduct.

Juve have denied any wrongdoing, while lawyers claimed prosecutors had not brought enough in to reach the adequate threshold for a new ruling.

The 36-time Italian champions are next in action on Sunday at home to Atalanta, in what was set to be a potentially crucial clash in the race for Champions League qualification.

Prosecutors are seeking a nine-point deduction against Juventus for their player transfer accounting, following the resignation of the club's board in November.

Former chairman Andrea Agnelli and the rest of Juve's directors quit en-masse last year amid investigations into financial violations during their time in charge.

A separate ruling made last year acquitted Juve and other clubs of their financial conduct within Serie A, with a case centred on player values in exchanges and transfers.

But football prosecutors are hoping to punish Juve as they seek new documents collected by public prosecutors in Turin surrounding Juventus' conduct.

According to widespread reports in Italy, prosecutor Giuseppe Chine filed another motion on Friday, and the court of appeal will now consider the request.

Chine believes a nine-point deduction should be applied should Juve be found guilty.

Such a move would seriously hamper Juve in their quest to secure European football next season, denying them of a major source of both income and attraction to top players.

The club has denied any wrongdoing, while lawyers claimed prosecutors had not brought enough in to reach the adequate threshold for a new ruling.

In addition, Chine is seeking bans for both Agnelli and former chief football officer Fabio Paratici, who is now with Tottenham.

Newcastle United have reportedly pushed Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to the top of their extended transfer wish-list.

Calvert-Lewin, 25, is in his seventh season with Everton, which has been highlighted by a pair of terrific seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21 where he combined for 29 of his 46 total Premier League goals.

He missed three months this past campaign due to a fractured toe, and spent the first two months of the current season on the sideline nursing a knee injury, resulting in only one league goal since May.

Despite his lack of production in recent months, Calvert-Lewin already has 11 senior international caps for England under his belt, and could be viewed as a depreciating asset due to Everton's struggle in the relegation zone.

 

TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE IDENTIFY CALVERT-LEWIN AS TOP FORWARD TARGET

According to The Sun, Newcastle want to secure Calvert-Lewin this month as he is "right at the top" of their list of targets.

The report states he is valued at £35million, and Everton are bracing themselves for bids as they sit 19th after just three wins from 19 matches.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph adds Newcastle are in discussions to send striker Chris Wood on loan to Nottingham Forest, as well as listing a number of players the club have expressed interest in.

They include Calvert-Lewin's team-mate Anthony Gordon, Chelsea trio Conor Gallagher, Hakim Ziyech and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Manchester United's Scott McTominay.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Athletic are reporting Brighton and Hove Albion have rejected a £55m bid from Chelsea for 21-year-old midfielder Moises Caicedo.

– According to AS, Barcelona would like to sign 26-year-old Wolves forward Goncalo Guedes on a loan with a mandatory buy clause, but Italian journalist Matteo Moretto is reporting Guedes is in Portugal ahead of completing a loan move to Benfica.

Everton are in talks with Rennes about a loan with an option to buy 20-year-old winger Kamaldeen Sulemana, although the Ghana international is expected to cost in the range of £40m (€45m), per GiveMeSport.

– Bild are reporting highly rated 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko – who had interest from Chelsea and Barcelona as he entered the final six months of his contract – is in the final stages of signing a three-year extension with the German club.

Leicester City have offered £10m for 24-year-old Stoke City centre-back Harry Souttar, who was a standout for Australia at the World Cup, per GianlucaDimarzio.com.

Manchester City have topped the Deloitte Football Money League for the second year running, with 11 of the world's 20 highest-earning clubs coming from the Premier League.

Reigning English champions City last year became just the fourth club ever to top the list, which examines the top-performing football clubs in terms of revenue every year.

City remained the world's highest revenue-generating club in the 2021-22 campaign – the first season in which fans returned to stadiums as coronavirus restrictions were eased.

They made £619.1million (€731m) over that period to finish ahead of LaLiga giants Real Madrid (€713.8m), while Liverpool climbed from seventh to their highest position of third after making £594.3m (€701.7m).

Fellow English clubs Manchester United (fourth), Chelsea (eighth), Tottenham (ninth) and Arsenal (10th) also make the top 10, with West Ham (15th), Leicester City (17th), Leeds United (18th), Everton (19th) and Newcastle United (20th) in the top 20.

It marks the first time in the report's 26 years that a single country has provided more than half of the rich list.

"The Premier League was the only one of the big five European leagues to experience an increase in its media rights value during its most recent rights sale process," said Tim Bridge, the lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group.

"It continues to appeal to millions of global followers and its member clubs have a greater revenue advantage over international rivals."

Paris Saint-Germain (fifth), Bayern Munich (sixth), Barcelona (seventh), Juventus (11th), Atletico Madrid (12th), Borussia Dortmund (13th), Inter (14th) and Milan (16th) make up the rest of the top 20.

In the women's game, Barcelona generated the highest revenue (€7.7m) after winning the Champions League in 2021 and reaching the final last year.

Memphis Depay has been linked with a move away from Barcelona, having had a frustrating 2022-23 season.

The Dutchman has only made a handful of appearances for the Blaugrana, following an off-season of busy transfer activity at Camp Nou.

Depay had been linked with several clubs, including Premier League outfits Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham.

TOP STORY – MEMPHIS TO EXIT BARCELONA FOR ATLETICO

Depay will leave Barcelona to join Atletico Madrid with an agreement reached on a fee of approximately €3-4million, reports Fabrizio Romano.

The Dutch forward is set to travel to Madrid to complete the formalities and medicals soon.

According to Romano, the 28-year-old will sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with Atleti.

 

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer will undergo medical tests with Bayern Munich on Thursday, before signing his contract with the Bavarians with the deal done between the clubs.

– Sky Sport Italia claims Roma are willing to sell Nicolo Zaniolo in January at the right price, approximately €40m, as the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham United  and Borussia Dortmund circle.

Real Madrid are interested in Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho but the Red Devils have made an improved contract offer for the Argentinian, reports The Independent.

– Arsenal are happy to wait until the end of the season to pursue West Ham's Declan Rice, after missing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk, claims The Sun.

Tottenham have made a first bid for Sporting right-back Pedro Porro, which included a player plus guaranteed money, but the Portuguese club have turned this down, according to Fabrizio Romano. Sporting want €45m (£39m) with talks ongoing.

Chris Wood is on the cusp of joining Nottingham Forest on loan from Newcastle United, reports The Athletic. The deal would include an option to make the move permanent.

– West Ham tabled an offer for Aston Villa forward Danny Ings, reports The Telegraph.

Hakan Calhanoglu relished Inter's Supercoppa Italiana win over Milan more than most, saying karma came back to bite the Rossoneri.

The former Milan player, who switched allegiance to Inter on a free transfer in 2021, faced mockery from a number of former team-mates when Stefano Pioli's team won last season's Serie A title.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was among those who invited scorn to be poured during Milan's celebrations, but Inter's 3-0 victory on Wednesday not only gave them the first silverware of the Italian season, it also gave Calhanoglu a chance to hit back.

"It was a very important victory, even more so for me. I'm very happy. We were hungry, we showed what we are worth on the pitch," Turkish midfielder Calhanoglu said.

"I always prefer to shut up, it was tough for me to see things I didn't expect. Karma comes back, and today we were hungry."

Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sport Mediaset, Calhanoglu said: "They have to respect the 3-0, we sent them home quickly. We ate them up."

On the prospect of a push for the Scudetto, Calhanoglu added: "We will believe it until the end. Let's continue like this."

Napoli have made a runaway start to the season, opening up a nine-point lead over second-placed Milan after 18 rounds of games, with Inter a further point back.

The Supercoppa win on Wednesday over Milan came at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, with Inter's goals coming from Federico Dimarco, Edin Dzeko and Lautaro Martinez.

The next meeting between the city rivals comes in Serie A on February 5, with Inter the home side as they face Milan at the San Siro stadium the clubs share.

Salernitana have confirmed the rehiring of Davide Nicola as head coach just two days after sacking him, with president Danilo Iervolino saying "you never know how much you will miss someone".

The Serie A side dismissed Nicola on Monday after a heavy 8-2 loss to Atalanta the previous day that leaves them a lowly 16th, albeit still nine points clear of the relegation zone.

But Nicola, who worked wonders to keep Salernitana in the Italian top flight last season, revealed on Wednesday he had got his job back following an emotional plea to Iervolino.

That news was confirmed at a press conference later in the day in which Iervolino explained the club's decision to reappoint Nicola, despite having already reportedly held talks with the likes of Rafael Benitez and Roberto D'Aversa.

"I felt compelled to change things after the Atalanta defeat. In that instance, you can only do one thing: review the project and change the coach," Iervolino told reporters.

"Despite what has been written, we found many other interested coaches. There are many coaches, hundreds across the globe, who have offered themselves to Salernitana.

"But [Nicola] and I communicated through [sporting director Morgan] De Sanctis, who spoke highly of him. Nicola wanted to get straight back to work. He admitted to his mistakes and how much he loves this city.

"If you don't lose someone, you never know how much you will miss them. His words struck me. I would have missed him. I thought about it a lot, knowing we had replacements, but this was for the good of Salernitana.

"Now he has another chance with us. With this commitment, he can carry the team forward and make sure we don't again suffer the type of discomfort like on Sunday afternoon [against Atalanta]."

Salernitana have taken just two points from their past six games and host league leaders Napoli in their next match on Saturday, before facing Lecce and Juventus.

"The good news is that after the game with Juventus, we ought to have a slightly calmer fixture list," Iervolino added. "But I still hope to get points over the next three games, too. 

"Our absolute minimum target is to remain in Serie A; the second is to play good football and get the best out of young players and at the same time climb the table."

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.