Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move for Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri, formerly of Chelsea.
According to Il Messaggero (h/t Citta Celeste), Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs that are keeping tabs on Lazio manager Maurizio Sarri.
The Italian has helped rekindle Lazio’s fortunes in Serie A, and the Roman side appear likely to return for the UEFA Champions League. Despite being sacked by Juventus before joining Lazio, Sarri led the Bianconeri to the Serie A title in 2020. It was the last time that Juventus won the title before the Milan clubs’ return to prominence.
Having fired Antonio Conte midway through the campaign, Tottenham once again find themselves looking for a manager who can revolutionise the club. Daniel Levy cannot afford to get the appointment wrong this time around and has put off bringing in someone until the summer.
The likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique and Vincent Kompany have all been mooted. Sarri now joins the list and is admittedly an intriguing option. Famed for his style of football named Sarriball, the 64-year-old former Chelsea boss certainly has the pedigree to turn around a club’s fortunes.
Employing a fast possession-based style of football, Sarri’s tactics are a feast for the eyes and often helps bring out the best in his players. His current deal at Lazio runs until 2025 and the Italians are keen to retain his services. More so, Inter Milan, Newcastle United and Everton are also keeping tabs on his situation.
Sarri has prior experience of managing in England. He spent one season at Chelsea, leading them to the UEFA Europa League in 2019 and the final of the League Cup the same year. Despite falling short in the league, one cannot argue that the Italian did a fine job at Stamford Bridge.
Sarri is used to working with a comparatively lesser budget and has a no-nonsense approach that is needed at Tottenham. Working with Daniel Levy is never easy and given the former Chelsea manager’s temper, fireworks could be in order.
Tottenham have made it a habit of hiring former Chelsea managers of late. Andre Villas-Boas, Jose Mourinho and most recently Antonio Conte have all come and gone without helping break the club’s trophy jynx. It remains to be seen whether Sarri can achieve that. It would be a neat feather in the cap for a tactician who has largely been underrated.
