Gennaro Gattuso Set To Become New Lazio Manager After Replacing Sarri On Two‑Year Deal

Gennaro Gattuso is set to become the new head coach of SS Lazio, reaching a full agreement with president Claudio Lotito to replace Maurizio Sarri on the Stadio Olimpico bench. Lazio have reportedly secured an agreement with Gennaro Gattuso, who will replace Atalanta-bound Maurizio Sarri. Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported both developments on his X (formerly Twitter) account, confirming that official announcements are now imminent. 

Key Details At A Glance

Gennaro Gattuso signs in as new Lazio manager on a two-year deal, confirmed. Gattuso has already agreed to a two-year contract with a €1.5 million salary per season. The official announcement is still pending, tied to the formal termination of Sarri’s existing contract, but the move is considered done at the highest level.

Why Sarri Had To Go: A Turbulent Final Season

Lazio and Maurizio Sarri have terminated their contract, putting an end to the head coach’s second tenure at the club. The Tuscan manager had a largely positive first spell at the club, before resigning in March 2024 amid locker-room tensions and poor results. The 67-year-old returned to the club last summer, but he endured what he described as the most difficult campaign of his career. Sarri had to deal with successive injury crises, impeding refereeing mistakes, a transfer ban, the sale of important players mid-season, and the fans’ stadium boycott. These hampering issues sparked a back-and-forth media spat between him and Lazio president Claudio Lotito.

The change became inevitable after a season of tension at the Stadio Olimpico, where Sarri was openly frustrated at the lack of clarity from the club over transfer strategy and the ongoing protest from ultras. Sarri still had a contract, but will terminate it by mutual consent so that he can start a new role with Atalanta. Sarri ends his second stint with the capital club after one season, which concluded with a Coppa Italia final defeat by Inter Milan and a ninth-place finish in Serie A. Lazio failed to qualify for Europe for the second season in a row, the first time that has happened in the Claudio Lotito era.

A Long-Standing Admiration: Lotito And Gattuso

His replacement at Lazio has also been secured already, with multiple sources noting that former Italy boss Gattuso has shaken hands with President Claudio Lotito.

The appointment was not a sudden decision — it had been years in the making. Lotito had already tried to appoint Gattuso in October 2019 when Lazio were losing 0-3 to Atalanta. The Calabrian was reportedly on his way to Rome, but Simone Inzaghi rescued his job by pulling off a second-half comeback to earn a draw. The legendary midfielder was also an option for Lazio before settling on Marco Baroni in June 2024, and once again last summer ahead of Sarri’s return to Formello It now appears that the legendary AC Milan midfielder has found an agreement with Lotito, who has long appreciated his profile.

How Gattuso Emerged Ahead Of The Competition

The Italian capital side was linked with several managerial candidates, especially Raffaele Palladino, Fabio Pisacane, and Sergio Conceicao. But on Monday, it was revealed that Lazio reached an agreement with Gattuso. After the first report from Sportitalia transfer expert Pedullà on May 23, Romano also confirmed that Gattuso has been chosen to replace Sarri at Lazio. There were other alternatives, such as Atalanta boss Raffaele Palladino, but it would seem that Gattuso has won that particular race. Italian journalist Alfredo Pedula reports that talks between Gattuso and Lazio have been ongoing for days, and that the two parties are now ironing out the last remaining details.

Gattuso’s Path To Lazio: A Long Coaching Journey

Gennaro Ivan Gattuso, born 9 January 1978, is an Italian professional football manager and former player who was most recently the head coach of the Italy national team. The 48-year-old has been unattached since leaving the Italian national team following the World Cup playoffs failure. His past coaching experiences include stints at Milan, Napoli, and Marseille. He has only won one trophy thus far: the 2019-20 Coppa Italia with Napoli when football restarted after the Covid-19 stoppage.

Complete Coaching Career Timeline

The Italy Chapter: Heartbreak On The International Stage

Gennaro Gattuso was officially appointed as the new head coach of the Italian national football team, replacing Luciano Spalletti. The announcement was confirmed by Gianluigi Buffon, the head delegate of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties following a 1-1 draw, marking the third straight World Cup for which they failed to qualify.

Gattuso would later apologize for the defeat. On 3 April 2026, Gattuso resigned as head coach of the Italy national team. Gattuso failed to qualify for the World Cup with Italy thanks to a play-off defeat at the hands of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The resignation left him as one of Italian football’s most high-profile free agents — and Lotito moved quickly to exploit that opportunity.

Why Lazio Chose Gattuso: The Philosophical Fit

Tactically, Gattuso frequently uses the 4-3-3 formation as a manager, although he has been known to use the 3-4-3 and the 4-2-3-1. In contrast to his own defensive playing style, his teams tend to play out and build plays from the back, implementing a possession game based on technique and passing; his teams are also known for their intensity and team-work off the ball, using heavy pressing in order to win the ball back quickly. His style has therefore been likened to that of fellow former Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri’s in the Italian media.

The similarity between Gattuso’s and Sarri’s tactical philosophies provides continuity for Lazio’s squad — the players should not require a total tactical reset despite the change of manager.

AC Milan Legend: The Playing Career That Made Gattuso

As a player, Gattuso is remembered for his time with AC Milan in Serie A, where he won the UEFA Champions League in 2002-03 and 2006-07, the Coppa Italia in 2002-03, and the Serie A title in 2003-04 and 2010-11. In addition to these titles, he also won two Italian Supercups, two UEFA Supercups, and a FIFA Club World Cup. 13 trophy-laden years featured 468 appearances, partnering Pirlo and Seedorf in invincible engine room. At international level, Gattuso played for the Italy national football team at the 2000 Summer Olympics, three FIFA World Cups, two UEFA European Championships, and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Playing Career Honours

Managerial Record: The Numbers

Gennaro Gattuso has a win percentage of 42.58% across his coaching career. He has managed 411 total matches, claiming 175 wins.

Coaching Record By Club

The Challenge: Rebuilding Lazio From 9th Place

The Italian managerial merry-go-round has begun with Lazio and Atalanta at the centre of what will be an interesting summer in Serie A.

Gattuso inherits a squad that has missed European football for two successive seasons — an unprecedented failure under Lotito’s ownership. His immediate task is clear: reconnect a club with its fanbase, restore defensive solidity, and return Lazio to Europe.

What Gattuso Must Address At Lazio

Sarri’s Destination: A Reunion With Giuntoli At Atalanta

Sarri was initially approached by his former employers Napoli, who are seeking a replacement for Antonio Conte, who has announced his departure. 1 Napoli’s former sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli managed to sway Sarri, convincing him to join him at Atalanta, who are set to part ways with Raffaele Palladino. Sarri is now free to sign for Atalanta, where he will reunite with former Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli.

Serie A’s Managerial Earthquake

The appointments of both Gattuso at Lazio and Sarri at Atalanta are part of a sweeping managerial reshaping of Serie A. Antonio Conte and Napoli announced their separation by mutual consent, while multiple sources are confident Milan will sack Max Allegri after failing to secure Champions League football. Going into next season, the only coaches who seem absolutely rock solid to remain are Cristian Chivu at Inter, Gian Piero Gasperini with Roma, Como’s Cesc Fabregas, plus probably Luciano Spalletti at Juventus.

Serie A Managerial Changes Summer 2026

Gennaro Gattuso’s appointment at Lazio closes a difficult chapter for a club that spent the 2025-26 season in turmoil — ultra boycotts, a transfer ban, public feuding between manager and president, and consecutive European misses. Lotito has now turned to a manager he has admired for years, and who arrives with the full weight of his AC Milan legacy, his Serie A experience, and a pressing-based tactical identity that mirrors what Sarri built at his best.

The two-year deal gives Gattuso time to rebuild. The immediate challenge is ambitious but achievable: restore Lazio to European football in 2026-27, reconnect the squad with the supporters, and establish a managerial identity that the Stadio Olimpico can believe in again.

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