Carlo Ancelotti and Andrea Pirlo tipped for Italian job | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti has emerged as the favourite to take over the vacant Italian national coach’s job, according to reports in Italy.

Ancelotti has been out of work since he was sacked by Bayern Munich in September 2017 and has recently been touted as a potential candidate to succeed Arsène Wenger at Arsenal.

But Italian outlet La Repubblica claim the 58-year-old has recently moved ahead of Roberto Mancini in the running for the Italy job and could be assisted in the role by Andrea Pirlo, whose playing days came to an end last November.

The Italian Football Federation (FICG) are expected to officially unveil their chosen candidate on 20 May, meaning a new manager should be in place in time for the friendly encounter with Saudi Arabia on 28 May.

Pirlo – who earned 116 caps for the Azzurri during his playing days – played under Ancelotti at AC Milan and the pair are understood to have maintained a close relationship.

And if the 38-year-old former midfielder does begin his coaching career with the national team, he will emulate Ancelotti, who worked alongside Arrigo Sacchi immediately after hanging up his boots in 1992.