AC Milan will announce Paulo Fonseca as their new head coach in the next 48 hours, bringing an end to a soap opera that feels like it has lasted for weeks.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (via PianetaMilan) report this morning that Fonseca will officially be announced on Thursday 13 June. He will be the one who will take Stefano Pioli’s place and will lead the team into a new era.
The Rossoneri’s choice has been clear for some time and Fonseca has been a leading candidate for the role since the day of Milan’s elimination from the Europa League at the hands of Roma. It was after that defeat that the leadership decided to move on from Pioli.
Fonseca was admired for what he has done with Lille in Ligue 1 and he jumped to the top of the list when the Julen Lopetegui idea disappeared amid a backdrop of fan discontent and protests on social media.
As mentioned, Fonseca is regarded to have done a good job over the last two years in France. Lille finished fourth in the table last season despite having the eighth-highest wage budget, something seen as a positive achievement.
The Portuguese will begin his experience as Milan coach at the beginning of July, with the raduno at Milanello, the first day of preseason. The first friendly match has been set for the 20th of the same month, in Vienna, against Rapid Wien.