Arsenal-linked Allegri: I'm not learning English again
Arsene Wenger has said he will stay in management next season but, if a significant portion of Arsenal support gets its wish, it won't be in N7.
With question marks around the Frenchman's future, Juventus' Massimiliano Allegri is odds-on favourite to take over the Gunners. Allegri, who's guided the Turin giant to consecutive Serie A and Coppa Italia titles, lies ahead of Borussia Dortmund's Thomas Tuchel, Bournemouth's Eddie Howe, Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone, and others, according to the bookmakers.
"How's my English?" Allegri joked in the press conference after Friday's 4-1 trumping of Palermo, as reported by ESPN FC. "I started learning before (my time at) Milan - now I have left it. They say I will go to Arsenal? You all say that, I just listen."
Allegri's suitability for the Arsenal role has been questioned. His managerial performances before Juventus were a mixed bag, and much of his success since has been built on the foundations laid down by his predecessor Antonio Conte. The project in north London could be a much tougher proposition, with Wenger's influence evident on the turf and in the bricks and mortar of the club's Colney training ground and Emirates Stadium after 21 seasons of management.
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And whether Allegri wants to leave the Old Lady is another matter. Before Roma's visit from Torino on Sunday, the Italian has guided Juventus to a 10-point cushion atop Serie A. Friday's victory marked the club's 29th straight home Serie A win.
"We had a good game, even if we granted Palermo a few too many shots from outside the box," Allegri said. "It was a league match and we got three points which are just as valuable as the ones we got against Inter.
"It is one game less to winning the Scudetto and I congratulate the lads for the way they approached the game."