Claudio Ranieri is on the verge of coming out of retirement to make a sensational return to management.
The legendary former Leicester City boss confirmed he would retire from the sport after guiding Cagliari to Serie A safety last season.
Ranieri now appears to have been tempted by one last job again and for the 73-year-old, no job gets bigger than this.
- READ MORE: Who is Claudio Ranieri? All you need to know about Leicester City’s title-winning manager
Claudio Ranieri on the verge of being appointed Roma manager for third time
Sky Italy revealed on Wednesday night that the Italian had decided to return to Roma for a third time.
Footage of Ranieri arriving at the airport, where he was swarmed by hundreds of supporters.
Upon arriving, the Italian was asked if he was aware of how much trouble Roma were in, replying: “That’s why they called me! Get ready, the cavalry is here!”
He is set to become their third permanent head coach of the season and fourth of the calendar year after parting ways with Jose Mourinho, Daniele De Rossi, and Ivan Juric.
Roma are 12th in the Italian top flight as it stands and have only won three games all season with a side that features Foxes summer transfer target Matias Soule.
Claudio Ranieri admits he would swap Leicester title win for Roma glory
Ranieri’s time at Leicester coincided with the greatest moment in the club’s history as they won the Premier League title for the first time.
The decision to appoint the former Chelsea boss, shortly after he had been sacked by Greece after four games in charge, was questioned by many. Gary Lineker famously tweeted: “Claudio Ranieri? Really?”
Speaking about that famous title win earlier this year, the 73-year-old admitted that he only made one tweak that changed everything.
“When I arrived, the team had only just secured safety in the Premier League,” he told Corriere dello Sport (via Football Italia).
“All I did was change the system to 4-4-2, changed the full-backs and put N’Golo Kante in. He was the inexhaustible engine of the team, because he pressed, fought hard, pushed forward, defended. At one point I thought he might be capable of both putting in the cross and getting on the end of it to head in during the same move.”
But despite being the brains behind football’s greatest achievement, the Italian admitted that winning a scudetto with his boyhood club would be worth sacrificing a Premier League crown for.
“Not winning the Scudetto with my Roma,” he said. “I can say it today: I would’ve gladly exchanged the Leicester title with a Roma Scudetto.”
Now that a return to Roma is all-but-sealed, maybe the Italian could finally realise his dream.