Former Italian striker Paolo Di Canio believes Roberto De Zerbi would be the ideal candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, while no Premier League club will offer a job to Antonio Conte after his recent explosive interview.
The ex-Lazio, Juventus, Milan and West Ham forward released an interview with Tuttosport going through the major talking points in Serie A and Italian football.
Napoli are dominating in Italy, but Di Canio believes both Milanese sides should have done much more this season.
“To me, they were favourites and I’m surprised by Milan’s collapse and Inter‘s highs and lows,” he said.
“Both teams are doing well in Europe, but in Serie A they have Napoli as an excuse, which is not enough. They are far below their standards with too many defeats.”
Romelu Lukaku has not been up to the task since his return to Inter on loan from Chelsea and Beppe Marotta has already confirmed that the Belgian forward will return to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Di Canio is not an admirer of the ex-Everton and Manchester United forward and criticised him also when he was at his peak with Antonio Conte at Inter two years ago.
“I may say many silly things sometimes, but where are those who were saying Lukaku was among the top five strikers in the World two years ago? I remember comparisons to Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane, Lukaku is a good player but is limited in many things,” insisted Di Canio.
“He doesn’t read some situations well and his mentality remains the issue. Somebody has made him feel like the best one out there and if he is not at the core of a project, his weaknesses emerge. He is never there in important moments and now that he’s almost 30 his career speaks for itself.”
Conte is expected to leave Tottenham either now or at the end of the season, when his contract expires.
The Italian tactician has returned to Italy and multiple reports in the UK claim Spurs are working on a compensation deal for the ex-midfielder, with Tottenham players not expecting to see him in the dugout after the international break next week.
“Anything can happen, but I don’t think any English club can offer him a job after what he said,” noted Di Canio.
“Perhaps, he’ll return to Italy, but he must accept lower wages. Maybe at Juventus in place of Massimiliano Allegri or Inter again if they imagine Napoli won’t repeat the same results next season.
“I hope Simone Inzaghi will end the season well and stays, but Antonio will think that with his experience, a new loan for Lukaku and a couple of touches here and there, he can win the title again.”
Another Italian coach, De Zerbi, is having impressive results in the Premier League and Di Canio predicts a bright future for the ex-Sassuolo tactician.
“Given his playing style, I think he can become Jurgen Klopp’s heir at Liverpool.”