Fiorentina have announced that coach Vincenzo Italiano has extended his contract to 2024, with the option to extend by a further 12 months.
Italiano arrived in the summer following the abrupt exit of Gennaro Gattuso and led the club to a seventh-place finish, which meant European qualification for the first time since 2017.
There had been rumours of a rift which between Italiano and the club which could lead to his exit, but the issues appear to have now been resolved.
A club statement read: “ACF Fiorentina is pleased to announce that head coach Vincenzo Italiano and his coaching staff have renewed their contracts until the end of the 2023-24 season, with the club then able to take up the option of extending the deal into 2024-25.
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“Italiano’s previous contract already covered next season, but the club and the coach have decided to strengthen their relationship by extending the agreement for a further year on improved financial terms. The coach and club will now work together to build on the promising 2021-22 campaign.
“The Sicilian coach arrived in Florence in June 2021 and guided the Viola to the Coppa Italia semi-finals and a seventh-placed finish in the league in 2021/22 to seal a Europa Conference League berth.
“President Rocco Commisso and the club as a whole would like to congratulate Italiano and his staff on this new agreement and wish them a future of success and happiness for Fiorentina and the supporters.”
Since they last qualified for European football, reaching the Europa League round of 32 in the 2016-17 season, Fiorentina became relegation strugglers, as they were regularly involved in fighting right until the end of the campaign for survival.
However, they enjoyed a much improved 2021-22 which resulted in wins over champions Milan, Napoli – which effectively ended the Partenopei’s title chances – Juventus and Roma, as well as a draw away to Inter.
Vincenzo Italiano pens new deal. ✍️#ForzaViola #Fiorentina #ACFFiorentina #Italiano https://t.co/rIwMq3t7tu
— ACF Fiorentina English (@ACFFiorentinaEN) June 22, 2022