Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 6y

Costacurta has 'six or seven people in mind' for Italy coaching job

Alessandro Costacurta says he has "six or seven" people in mind as he steps up his search for the next coach of Italy.

Costacurta, who was appointed by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) as sub-commissioner of the Italian Football Association (FIGC), has been briefed to find a successor to Gian Piero Ventura, who was sacked following Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup.

The former AC Milan and Italy defender is currently holding talks with potential candidates and he says there are six or seven names on his list.

"I already have an idea and there are six or seven people included," he said at an event in Parma, reports Sky Sport Italia. "[Roberto] Mancini is not the only one being considered, but at the moment I am only able to talk about those who are available."

Earlier this week, Costacurta said that Chelsea manager Antonio Conte was not a candidate since he is under contract with the Blues for the next 18 months.

Other candidates, including Mancini, are also under contract with clubs and, as things stand, despite being unavailable for the job, the FIGC's commissioner Roberto Fabbricini says they nevertheless have "a sense of duty in their hearts" for the national team.

Current Italy under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio has been placed in charge of the upcoming friendlies with Argentina and England.

"That was an automatic choice, and I think he's the best man for it," Costacurta added. "He's a great coach, he's got great enthusiasm and, above all, he already knows the up and coming national team players very well."

Costacurta hopes to have a new, permanent coach in place prior to the Azzurri's friendly with France in Nice on June 1, although their next competitive fixture is not until Sep. 7, when they host Poland in an inaugural Nations League fixture.

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