Former Juventus boss Allegri wants year off from football

Former Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has said he needs to recharge his batteries and will take a year off from football before returning to management.

The 51-year-old led Juventus to five consecutive Serie A titles, four Coppa Italias and two Champions League runner-up finishes in his five years in charge, but parted ways with the club at the end of the season.

“I’m going to take a year off to recharge the batteries and take my personal life back in hand,” the BBC quoted Allegri as saying at an event in Milan. “The last 16 years have felt like being in a spin-dryer.”

Allegri began his managerial career in 2004 in Italy’s fourth division and also managed AC Milan, who he led to the Serie A title in 2011, before joining Juventus in 2014.

British and Italian media have reported that Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is close to being named as Allegri’s replacement after Juventus reached an agreement in principle with the Premier League side to sign the Italian.