AC Milan’s difficult end to the 2025-26 season has triggered a major internal overhaul, with the club missing out on Champions League qualification and moving quickly to reshape its leadership. Chief executive Giorgio Furlani, sporting director Igli Tare, technical director Geoffrey Moncada and coach Massimiliano Allegri were all pushed out in the shake-up, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic emerged as one of the main beneficiaries of the restructuring as adviser to owner Gerry Cardinale. Allegri, however, is not expected to remain without a job for long, with reports saying he is close to taking over at Napoli as the club prepares for life after Antonio Conte.
Napoli have already identified Allegri as their preferred candidate over Vincenzo Italiano, who left Bologna, although the appointment has not yet been officially confirmed. The southern club, runner-up to Inter in Serie A, already has a strong squad and is expected to focus on targeted adjustments rather than a full rebuild. Among the players who could be revived under the new coach are Noa Lang and Lorenzo Lucca, both of whom spent the second half of the season on loan.
Allegri is also said to want a familiar face in the squad, with Adrien Rabiot emerging as a key transfer target. According to Corriere dello Sport, Allegri is especially keen on the French midfielder, whom he knows well from their time together at Juventus and from a more recent reunion at AC Milan, where Allegri brought Rabiot in during the final days of the summer 2025 transfer window. Rabiot had been sidelined by Marseille after a dressing-room altercation with Jonathan Rowe in Rennes, before moving back to Italy.
Any move would still require negotiations with Milan, who are understood to be aware of Napoli’s interest. Rabiot, who is currently training with the France national team ahead of the World Cup, earns about €5.5 million per season and is under contract until 2028. Napoli have both the financial resources and the sporting appeal to make a strong push, especially with Champions League football on offer and Allegri set to be the driving force behind the project.
For Allegri, Rabiot is viewed as an ideal fit for the 4-3-3 system he plans to implement, specifically as the left-footed complement to Scott McTominay in midfield. The move would strengthen both the tactical balance and the coach’s influence on the squad, with Rabiot seen as one of his most trusted players.
