According to soccer journalist extraordinaire Fabrizio Romano, Gian Piero Gasperini is set to part ways with Atalanta in the coming days. This may come as a surprise, and perhaps a disappointment to La Dea fans, after he guided them to third place in Serie A. Champions League qualification for two successive seasons is something to cheer about, even though the Bergamo club’s strong Scudetto challenge crumbled at the crucial stage.
In his nine years at Atalanta, Gasperini turned them from mid-table stragglers to regular top-five finishers. Last season, he led the club to its maiden European title. More importantly, he established a reputation for bringing the best out of players discarded by other teams. The Charles De Ketelaere who flopped at AC Milan has blossomed into a lethal playmaker. The Ademola Lookman shooed away by a string of Premier League clubs scored the Europa League final hat trick that won Atalanta the trophy.
Where will the 67-year-old take his magic next? Here are some of the possibly lucky clubs that may have him in their dugout next season.
AS Roma
Rome is where Gasperini will start the coming season if the word going around the transfer rumor mill is to be believed. He is close to putting pen to paper on a three-year deal worth over $5 million annually. Could he be the successor hand-picked by AS Roma’s departing caretaker coach Claudio Ranieri?
If so, Gasperini has some very big shoes to fill. Ranieri’s reputation precedes him, having managed clubs across Italy, France, and England, winning a slew of honors in the process. History aside, the Italian lifted the Giallorossi from the mid-table mire, restoring them to European competition on his second return to the capital club in January.
This is a feat Gasperini has already achieved with Atalanta. He may, therefore, be the man to restore the joy (and revenue) of Champions League football to the Eternal City.
AC Milan
It’s been a hugely frustrating season for Rossoneri fans. They’ve had to endure their side’s inconsistent performances, watching them limp to an undignified eighth-place finish. They still would have made it into the Europa League next season, but Milan fluffed their last chance ticket by losing the Coppa Italia final to unfancied Bologna.
There’s no doubt that Milan is playing well below the potential it showed just two seasons ago when they won the Scudetto and two of its players were named the league’s best. The key factor in Milan’s drastic recent decline was the departure of Coach Stefano Pioli. Perhaps Gasperini can succeed where Paulo Fonseca and Sérgio Conceição have failed. A wave of his wand could bring the disinterested Rafael Leão back to his scintillating best and help Álex Jiménez live up to his initial promise.
Tottenham Hotspur
The newly crowned Europa League champs are due for a managerial shake-up if you ask me. Ange Postecoglou’s last-ditch trophy win may just have bought him a season three in the Spurs hot seat. However, I don’t see the North Londoners’ fortunes changing much next season if they retain the Australian.
Injuries aside, the Spurs boss hasn’t succeeded in bringing the best out of the talents at his disposal. The highly-rated Mathys Tel has only managed two goals since he arrived from Bayern Munich. These are the unpolished gems Gasperini thrives in turning into gleaming, highly productive stars. The Italian will also bring some much-needed tactical fluidity to the Spurs’ play.
More Prospective Employers For Gasperini
A few teams in Europe could use Gian Piero Gasperini’s tactical genius and astute man-management. West Ham United’s Graham Potter is due for replacement also, having steered the London club to the brink of relegation. Had Erik Ten Hag not already been unveiled as Bayer Leverkusen’s new boss, they could have slipped in the Atalanta manager’s resume.
In Spain, Sevilla escaped relegation by a solitary point and could use a fresh start under a manager with a proven formula for success. If the Roma deal doesn’t materialize, Sevillistas should prevail upon the administration to get Gasperini on the phone.
