Christian Pulisic's next boss? Maurizo Sarri near top of AC Milan's managerial shortlist as Serie A giants prepare to sack Sergio Conceicao after miserable season

According to a report from La Gazzetta dello Sport, AC Milan are going to begin the 2025-26 season with a new manager at the helm, with Sarri among those who's right at the top of the managerial shortlist. Current boss Conceicao is set to be sacked at the end of the current season. Indeed, the Rossoneri are planning to activate the option to terminate the Portuguese's contract this summer, despite signing a deal until 2026.

Sarri is once again being linked with the Milan job as the club looks to reset ahead of the 2025–26 season. The former Lazio boss was considered in December as a replacement for Paulo Fonseca but turned down a short-term offer, leading the club to appoint Conceicao. While Conceicao delivered a Supercoppa Italiana triumph over Inter early in his tenure, he has struggled to revive Milan’s domestic form. With Champions League qualification now virtually out of reach, the club is keen to install an Italian tactician, placing Sarri - who stepped down from Lazio following their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich last year - high on their shortlist.

Along with Sarri, a host of other Italian managers have been linked with the Milan job. Among them is the currently-unemployed Massimiliano Allegri, who last managed Juventus. Marseille's Roberto De Zerbi has also been rumoured with a return to Italy, while other names such as Gian Piero Gasperini, Antonio Conte, and Vincenzo Italiano have also popped up.

While Milan have looked a pale shadow of the team that lifted the Scudetto in the 2021-22 season, they could still have a chance to end the season on a high. Conceicao's men are set to face Bologna in the final of the Coppa Italia on May 15. Before that, they will take on Genoa on Monday, May 5, followed by Bologna on May 10 in two crucial Serie A fixtures.