Claudio Ranieri is expected to leave his role as senior advisor at Roma after a reported clash with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, according to multiple reports in Italy.
Ranieri, who came out of retirement last year to coach Roma for a third time, led the club to a fifth-placed finish in Serie A before stepping aside at the end of the campaign to become a senior advisor to owner Daniel Friedkin. He reportedly turned down the chance to become Italy manager to take the advisory role.
The rift emerged after Gasperini was appointed as Roma head coach, with Ranieri among those involved in the hiring process. During an interview with DAZN, Ranieri suggested Gasperini had been the club's fourth choice for the role. He claimed he put forward 'five or six' names, but 'three of those didn't come'. Ranieri also defended the club's work in the transfer market after Gasperini appeared to agree with suggestions that Roma had not sufficiently strengthened its squad. According to Daily Mail - Sport, Ranieri said that not one player came in without Gasperini's approval. He stressed that Gasperini's work with young players at Atalanta was a major factor behind his appointment.
Ranieri stated that if he is consulted again, he will continue, otherwise he can also leave. He added that he loves Roma and is ready to step aside as senior advisor, just as he had already done before as coach. Reports have followed that Ranieri and Gasperini have since been ignoring each other at the club's training ground. Gianluca Di Marzio reports that Roma is moving towards an early end to the collaboration with Ranieri, with the parties seeking a solution where the collaboration ends earlier than planned.
Ranieri, a lifelong supporter of Roma, coached 18 clubs during his managerial career, including Chelsea, Fulham and Watford. He is best known for masterminding Leicester City's shock Premier League title win in the 2015-16 season. Leicester's relegation to League One was confirmed in the same week as Ranieri's expected exit, marking back-to-back relegations from the Premier League to English football's third tier.
It remains unclear whether the rift has been confirmed by the club or other officials, and what specific incidents led to the reported clash. The exact timing of Ranieri's departure and whether he will receive any compensation are also unknown. No replacement for the senior advisor role has been announced.