Juventus veteran Andrea Pirlo is likely to request a transfer if the club appoints Massimiliano Allegri as manager, according to reports in Italy.
The two men clashed when they worked together at AC Milan, sparking the midfielder’s switch to Turin in 2011, and leading Premier League clubs are now on high alert to his potential departure.
Allegri is now said to be in pole position to succeed Antoni Conte, who stunned the Serie A champions by resigning last night, just one day after the start of pre-season training.
Il Corriere della Sera claims Pirlo will seek a move elsewhere if the ex-San Siro chief gets the nod over fellow candidate Roberto Mancini, who left Turkish heavyweights Galatasaray by mutual consent last month.
It is believed that former Manchester City chief Mancini will only get the nod if today’s talks with Allegri fall through, and he could also miss out on the vacant Italy job to Conte.
Despite his advancing years, suitors will still have to fork out a relatively healthy transfer fee to secure 35-year-old Pirlo’s services, because he recently penned a two-year extension to his current deal.
The latest report insists his position at Juve will become virtually untenable due to the explosive nature of his disagreements with Allegri over the tactics being deployed at Milan.
Allegri was sacked by Milan at the start of this year.