Italy's defender #05 Gianluca Mancini (R) fights for the ball with Turkey's defender #21 Baris Alper Yilmaz during the international friendly football match between Italy and Turkey as part of their preparation for the UEFA Euro 2024 European football championships, at the Dall'Ara Stadium on June 4, 2024 in Bologna. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Bologna are set to appoint new coach Vincenzo Italiano and set their sights on Galatasaray striker Baris Alper Yilmaz and Fiorentina’s Christian Kouame.

The Rossoblu held another meeting with Italiano on Tuesday and made a basic agreement for a two-year contract, which could be signed as early as today.

He takes over from Thiago Motta and immediately finds a new role just days after stepping away from Fiorentina.

Now that Bologna have qualified for the Champions League and are expected to sell Joshua Zirkzee, they need reinforcements in attack.

Yilmaz and Kouame on Bologna list

According to Sky Sport Italia, the main target is Galatasaray forward Baris Yilmaz, who was in action for Turkey during Tuesday’s 0-0 friendly draw with Italy at the Stadio Dall’Ara.

Yilmaz just turned 24 last month and can play as a winger on either side or a centre-forward.

He found the net seven times and provided 12 assists in 55 competitive appearances for Galatasaray this season.

Another option for the Bologna attack is said to be Kouame, who has long been a favourite of Italiano and made the move to Fiorentina from Genoa for €15.5m in 2020.

Like Yilmaz, he is tactically versatile more than a hitman, scoring only two goals this season along with one assist in 38 games.

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