Maurizio Sarri has left Europa League Champions Chelsea to become manager of Serie A champions Juventus on a three-year deal.
Sarri who joined the Blues in 2018 is leaving the club the after just one season in which he led them to a top four finish and Europa League crown.
It is understood a compensation fee in excess of £5m has been agreed between the two clubs for the 60-year-old.
Sarri will replace fellow Italian Massimiliano Allegri, who left Juventus at the end of last season.
“In talks we had following the Europa League final, Maurizio made it clear how strongly he desired to return to his native country, explaining that his reasons for wanting to return to work in Italy were significant,” said Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia.
Despite signing a three-year deal last July, he will become the ninth full-time manager to leave the club under Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
Throughout the Italian’s time at Stamford Bridge there was repeated speculation about his position, with Chelsea fans expressing their discontent at 60 year old manager’s tactics and team selection.
But Sarri withstood the criticism and won his first ever trophy as manager with a 4-1 victory over Arsenal in May in the Europa League final, and after the match said “he deserved” to stay with the club.
Whoever does replace Sarri will not be able to sign any new players, as things stand, with Chelsea having appealed against their two-window transfer ban imposed by FIFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
It means their only new arrival might be USA forward Christian Pulisic, a £58m signing from Borussia Dortmund in January while their star player Eden Hazard headed to Real Madrid ending his seven years association with the London club.
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