The simmering tension at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza has finally bubbled over. Max Allegri, a man whose tactical low block and ruthless efficiency brou...
The simmering tension at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza has finally bubbled over. Max Allegri, a man whose tactical low block and ruthless efficiency brought two Scudetti to Juventus, currently finds himself locked in a quiet standoff with the Milan hierarchy. The issue is not one of squad selection or dressing room politics, but the cold mathematics of a contract that has no friendly escape route.Allegri has been circling the Rossoneri for weeks, fuelling speculation with that characteristic stony silence he deploys so effectively. But according to information gathered by GoalZaza, the Italian master of transitional play has grown visibly irritated with the board's reluctance to hammer out a mutual exit agreement. Milan, it seems, are playing a game of their own, one that involves waiting out the clock. Allegri wants a clean break. The club wants to protect its financial balance sheet. And in this rather grubby middle ground, the relationship has soured to the point of no return.Then there is Napoli, who have watched this dance from the sidelines with growing impatience. The Partenopei, who have their own tactical issues to resolve under the new manager, see Allegri as the ideal candidate to instil a bit of solidity and clinical finishing into a squad that sometimes lacks direction. But they are not willing to wait forever. GoalZaza has learned that Aurelio De Laurentiis, never a man known for his indulgence, has stamped a strict deadline on the negotiation. It is a take it or leave it ultimatum.So what happens now Milan must decide if they want to keep a manager who clearly has one eye on the door, or if they will find the funds to facilitate his departure. For Allegri, the clock is ticking louder by the hour. He knows that if he misses the Napoli deadline, his options for an immediate return to top level football shrink considerably. Squeaky bum time, indeed. This is a transfer saga that is about to reach a very noisy conclusion, and the san siro faithful will be watching every move with a mixture of anger and resignation.
