AC Milan are reportedly set to confirm Stefano Pioli’s exit this week, with Paulo Fonseca touted as the favourite to be named as his successor.
The Rossoneri have endured an underwhelming campaign this year, finishing well off the pace in the Serie A title race, while exiting the Champions League, Europa League and Coppa Italia at early stages.
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Coupled with the lack inspiring and convincing performances across the season, it has been felt that the time has come for a new cycle to begin with a coach that can bring fresh energy and ideas to the squad.
According to Fabrizio Romano, that will be confirmed this week as Milan are set to move on from Pioli, while he adds that Fonseca is the favourite to become our next coach with a two-year deal – plus an option to extend – on the table. Crucially, he goes on to note that the Portuguese tactician is keen on the job.
Fonseca, 51, has a wealth of coaching experience having had stints at Porto, Braga, Shakhtar Donetsk, Roma and now Lille, but although he has a winning percentage of over 50 percent in each of his last four jobs, he doesn’t boast a particularly successful record of winning silverware.
Evidently though, the Milan hierarchy have seen something that they like in terms of his fit with us and the potential for a successful stint at the helm, and so it remains to be seen if there is official confirmation of his appointment in the near future.
Various other names have been paired with the job in recent weeks, but time will tell if the focus is now on Fonseca to replace Pioli with the view of giving him as much time over the summer as possible to settle in and mould the squad into his own.
As for Pioli, although there has been frustration and disappointment this season and it does feel like the right time for a change, having delivered a Scudetto and a memorable run to the Champions League semi-finals last year coupled with the consistency with which he has kept us in Europe’s premier competition in recent years, there is much to be appreciative of when it comes to assessing his time at the club too.
