1899 Hoffenheim · Defender · #0 · Germany · 38 yrs
After the dismissal of Massimiliano Allegri, AC Milan seem to be giving powers to Zlatan Ibrahimović to redirect the sporting project. While Ralf Rangnick was gaining strength as sporting director, Arne Slot has supposedly emerged as the new head coach, leaving the German executive out. AC Milan had a rather unstable 2025-26 season, finishing outside the UEFA Champions League places. As a result, Massimiliano Allegri was dismissed, giving more power to Zlatan Ibrahimović to reorganize the sporting structure. While Ralf Rangnick seemed to be emerging as the sporting director, the Swedish executive is reportedly targeting Arne Slot as the new head coach. With this, the German executive appears to be ruled out. With his contract with Austria set to expire in July 2026, Ralf Rangnick had reportedly emerged as one of the leading options to become sporting director of the Rossoneri. However, he is said to have set certain conditions in order to join the Italian side, seeking significant decision-making power over sporting matters. As a result, Zlatan Ibrahimović does not appear convinced by the German, instead turning toward an alternative duo: Ramon Planes and Arne Slot. According to Corriere della Sera, Zlatan Ibrahimović prefers to bet on the duo of Ramon Planes and Arne Slot, as it could allow him to maintain some control over the sporting management. While the Spanish executive is under contract with Al Ittihad, the Dutch coach would arrive as a free agent after being dismissed by Liverpool FC. Despite this, the Rossoneri have not yet reached an agreement with either of them. Both Ramon Planes and Arne Slot have shown a special talent for succeeding at soccer Elite. Ramon enjoyed great success at Barcelona, completing signings such as Pedri and Ronald Araújo, which proved to be major successes. Likewise, Arne managed to make the Reds shine in the Premier League, winning the title and establishing a winning style of play. Despite this, neither of them is coming off their best season, which could raise certain doubts. Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match. Oliver Glasner reportedly challenges Arne Slot’s AC Milan arrival With only a few weeks remaining until the 2026 World Cup, AC Milan appear to have very little time to define their new sporting structure. Although Arne Slot is the latest name to emerge following his spell at Liverpool, he is not the only favorite for the role. With uncertainty surrounding Ralf Rangnick or Ramon Planes as sporting director, Oliver Glasner appears to be the ideal coach, complicating the Dutchman’s arrival. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Rangnick continues to view Oliver as one of his ideal candidates for the project, alongside Matthias Jaissle. However, Glasner would have a major advantage: he would become a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace after a historic legacy. His impact in the Premier League and Ralf’s approval would give him a significant edge. In addition, he is reportedly set to meet with Ibrahimović next week to clarify his position. As a candidate who could fit alongside either Ramon Planes or Ralf Rangnick, Oliver Glasner has emerged as the leading option to take charge of AC Milan. However, he would need to present a strong sporting proposal to Zlatan Ibrahimović, who is expected to decide on his potential arrival as soon as possible. If a deal cannot be reached, Arne Slot and the other candidates would gain even more momentum.
Christian Pulisic is preparing for another major change at Milan as the Serie A giant continues a dramatic rebuild behind the scenes. Christian Pulisic is preparing for another major change at Milan as the Serie A giant continues a dramatic rebuild behind the scenes. At the same time, his ex-coach Massimiliano Allegri appears set for a quick return to the dugout in Italy after a chaotic end to the season triggered one of the biggest managerial shake-ups in European soccer. The situation has moved rapidly over the last few days following Milan’s collapse in the race for Champions League qualification. After the disappointing finish to the campaign, the club dismissed Allegri along with several key executives, leaving the Rossoneri searching for a completely new sporting structure ahead of next season. Milan’s defeat against Cagliari on the final day effectively sealed the club’s sporting collapse and triggered sweeping changes at San Siro. The Rossoneri not only missed out on the Champions League but also lost stability across almost every level of the club hierarchy. The Italian newspaper Quotidiano Sportivo described the situation as a ‘race against time’ as Milan now searches for a new chief executive, sporting director, technical director, and head coach simultaneously. That uncertainty has complicated discussions with several managerial candidates. Christian Pulisic of AC Milan reacts For Pulisic, who remained one of Milan’s most reliable attacking players during the season, the coming weeks could define the direction of the club’s future. The United States international is expected to remain central to Milan’s plans regardless of who ultimately takes charge. Milan’s leading candidates finally emerge The identities of Milan’s main targets have now become clearer. The leading names linked with the job include Mauricio Pochettino, Matthias Jaissle, Oliver Glasner, and Xavi Hernandez. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola had initially shown strong openness toward the Milan project after meetings with the previous management structure. However, the uncertainty surrounding the club and growing interest from Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen appear to have changed the situation significantly. That development forced the Rossoneri to intensify discussions with alternative options. Among them is Mauricio Pochettino, who currently manages the United States national team and already has a relationship with Pulisic from international soccer. Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of United States. As per The Athletic, Milan representatives held talks with Pochettino before the US national team’s World Cup preparations began. The Argentine coach reportedly remains appreciated by Milan owner Gerry Cardinale, especially because of his experience at Chelsea, PSG, and Tottenham. Another major name involved in the reshuffle is Ralf Rangnick. The Austria national team coach has reportedly been discussed internally as a candidate for Milan’s technical leadership role, which could significantly influence the coaching appointment. La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed that Rangnick’s preferred managerial option is Matthias Jaissle, the current Al-Ahli coach. The 38-year-old German has built a growing reputation after successful spells with Salzburg and Al-Ahli, where he won the AFC Champions League. Jaissle’s connection with the Red Bull soccer structure also reportedly strengthens his relationship with Rangnick. Milan views him as a modern coach capable of developing younger players while maintaining an aggressive tactical identity. Allegri close to Napoli move after Conte exit According to Sky Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio and Fabrizio Romano, Napoli has now reached a verbal agreement with Allegri over a two-year contract. Negotiations reportedly accelerated quickly, with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis pushing decisively to secure the experienced Italian coach ahead of other candidates. The reports add that lawyers a
At the helm of the USMNT, Mauricio Pochettino has successfully built a promising project with youth talent. However, he has reportedly decided to leave the national team after the 2026 World Cup. In light of this, the Argentine manager has received interest from AC Milan for next season. Mauricio Pochettino arrived in September 2024 to lead the sporting project of the United States men’s national soccer team. With the 2026 World Cup only weeks away, the national team is full of young talent, delivering a successful generational transition. However, he has reportedly decided to leave the project after the anticipated tournament. Following this, the Argentine manager appears to have received approaches from AC Milan. According to Nicolò Schira via X, formerly Twitter, Mauricio Pochettino has decided to leave the USMNT. With his contract expiring in July 2026, he appears determined to return to Europe, seeking a day-to-day project similar to those he had at Tottenham Hotspur, PSG, or Chelsea. As a result, the United States Soccer Federation would have to search again for a manager capable of maximizing the young talent. Even though his spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea were not particularly brilliant, Mauricio Pochettino still maintains considerable interest in Europe. As per James Horncastle via The Athletic, AC Milan met with Mauricio in Georgia to explore the head coach vacancy left by Massimiliano Allegri. However, neither side has reached a definitive agreement yet, as the Argentine manager is reportedly focused on the World Cup. With the sporting director still yet to be decided, the Rossoneri may not reach an agreement with Mauricio Pochettino just yet, as the new head coach would also need to be approved by this executive. However, Zlatan Ibrahimović appears to be seeking exploratory talks and/or pre-agreements with several candidates, creating a pool of options to choose from once the full staff is finalized. Therefore, the Argentine still does not have full consensus to join the team. Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of United States. Pochettino supposedly competes with Matthias Jaissle at AC Milan After failing to qualify for the 2026–27 UEFA Champions League, AC Milan decided to dismiss Igli Tare as sporting director. Following this, Ibrahimović appears to be the one chosen to decide the new sporting director. With Ralf Rangnick as the leading candidate, he would seek decision-making power over the new head coach. With this in mind, Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly facing Matthias Jaissle for the head coach spot. Luca Bianchin reports via La Gazzetta dello Sport that Ralf Rangnick maintains the arrival of Matthias Jaissle as the absolute priority. With a contract until 2027 with Al-Ahli, they would have to negotiate an agreement to release him and be able to sign him. As a two-time AFC Champions League Elite winner, his departure would not be simple. Therefore, Pochettino remains a candidate, as he has the backing of Giorgio Furlani and Geoffrey Moncada.
Ivan Toney pushed the race all the way to the final matchday with Al-Ahli, but despite his impressive scoring form, the English striker could not erase one of the most iconic individual achievements in Saudi Pro League history. Cristiano Ronaldo’s influence over Saudi soccer continues to grow even during a season in which the Al-Nassr captain failed to secure another Golden Boot. Ivan Toney and Julian Quinones pushed the race all the way to the final matchday with Al-Ahli, but despite his impressive scoring form, the duo could not erase one of the most iconic individual achievements in Saudi Pro League history. The battle for the scoring crown produced plenty of suspense during the closing weeks of the campaign. Toney entered the final fixture knowing he had already overtaken Ronaldo in the current Golden Boot standings, while Julian Quinones was still mathematically in contention heading into the final round. Al-Ahli closed out its league campaign emphatically with a commanding 4-1 victory over Al-Khaleej at Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium. Although Matthias Jaissle’s side had already secured third place in the table, the club still delivered one of its most complete attacking displays of the season. Ivan Toney and Julian Quinones stop Ronaldo from third consecutive Golden Boot Even though he failed to score in the final game, Toney finished the season with 32 league goals. However, Julian Quinones solidified his position as the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League, surpassing the Englishman on the last matchday of the season and finishing the campaign with 33 goals in 31 matches. His total tally was enough to deny Ronaldo a third consecutive Golden Boot award in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Pro League 25-26 List of goalscorers That achievement alone represents a major accomplishment considering Ronaldo’s extraordinary consistency since arriving at Al-Nassr. The Englishman adapted quickly to Saudi soccer and became the focal point of Al-Ahli’s attack throughout the campaign. Ronaldo’s legendary record survives another challenge While Quionones captured the Golden Boot, the bigger piece of history remained untouched. Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary 35-goal record in a single Saudi Pro League season officially stays unbroken after Quinones ended his campaign on 32 goals, and Toney on 32 goals. He established that historic mark during the 2023-24 season with Al-Nassr. The Portuguese superstar scored 35 league goals in only 31 appearances, surpassing the previous single-season record of 34 goals held by former Al-Nassr striker Abderrazak Hamdallah. Last two Saudi Pro League Golden Boot winners The achievement became even more remarkable because the superstar accomplished it at the age of 39. His campaign also included 11 assists, three free-kick goals, and an astonishing average of one goal every 75.6 minutes. Meanwhile, second-placed Julian Quinones ends the season with 33 goals, failing to bridge the two-goal gap needed to surpass the Portuguese’s historic benchmark. The Mexico international needed at least five goals in the final game.
