Mancini to coach Italy

MILAN: Roberto Mancini has reached an agreement to become the next Italy coach, according to multiple media reports on Tuesday.

The Zenit St Petersburg manager met with the Italian FA sub-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta and team manager Gabriele Oriali for over two hours in Rome on Monday evening.It was reported over the weekend that Carlo Ancelotti had turned down the job, and both Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport said on Tuesday that Mancini had agreed to take over and help revive the fortunes of the national side.

Gazzetta said the federation had offered the former Manchester City manager a two-year contract until 2020 worth four million euros ($4.8million) a year. Mancini is expected to take over the national team after the final round of Russian domestic fixtures on May 13 and before the May 20 deadline set by the Italian FA.