Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 10y

Cesare Prandelli to join Galatasaray

Galatasaray have announced the appointment of former Italy boss Cesare Prandelli.

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes had also been in the running for the position, while the club had declared their interest in Joachim Low and Jurgen Klinsmann, but Gala confirmed on their official website on Monday that Prandelli had agreed to take charge.

"Galatasaray football team's new coach Cesare Prandelli is coming to Istanbul this evening," the statement read. "Tomorrow morning at the Florya Metin Oktay [training] facilities, he will be introduced to the players and staff.

"Galatasaray will sign the deal tomorrow at 2 p.m. (local time) at the Turk Telekom Arena."

Prandelli, who replaces compatriot Roberto Mancini at the Turkish club, ended his stint in charge of the Azzurri after failing to guide the team to the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup.

Galatasaray director of sport Tomas Ujfalusi, who played under Prandelli at Fiorentina, feels the new boss is the ideal candidate as Galatasaray target their 20th Turkish league title this season.

"I think he's appreciated more abroad than in Italy and that's why I'm convinced he'll be really happy in Istanbul," former Czech Republic defender Ujfalusi told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'm really happy he's joining us. I've always liked him. When Mancini didn't want to continue, Cesare was the man I would always have wanted. He was just unlucky at the World Cup, but his four years in charge [of Italy] were extremely positive."

Prandelli returns to club management for the first time since leaving Fiorentina in 2010 and inherits a side Ujfalusi feels are already primed for silverware.

"The Italian school can help Turkish football a lot," the 36-year-old said. "With Roberto, a lot of work was done on tactics and he improved the team a lot. Prandelli will do the same because he knows how to talk to the players, and he's going to find plenty of good ones at Galatasaray.

"We want the 20th title. Right now, both we and Fenerbahce have 19 each. And then we want to go as far as possible in the Champions League."

Information from the Press Association was used in this report

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