Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is ‘in negotiations’ with Roma, claims former team-mate

Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea

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EXCLUSIVE
By Salvatore Landolina

Former Roma star Ruggiero Rizzitelli has told Goal.com that he believes Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is already in talks with the Italian club’s prospective new owners, following rumours that the coach is set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.

Rizzitelli told Goal.com: “I believe there are negotiations with Ancelotti and Roma already. The new owners are negotiating with Ancelotti.

“But, it all depends on how much money is available. If Ancelotti comes to Roma, he expects a competitive side.

“So we have to see how much cash the owners are willing to provide for him as he will need the money to bring in important players.

“It depends on the money, and qualification into the Champions League. I believe there are negotiations with Ancelotti.”

The former striker added: “Ancelotti is a coach who earns big money, and so it’s normal that he would have to reduce his demands to come to Roma. The club cannot permit themselves to spend crazy money for the coach.

“But, Ancelotti could reduce his wages on the basis Roma would have to guarantee they would invest money on important players.”

Rizzitelli’s words indicate that a move for Ancelotti back to Serie A all depends on how much Roma’s prospective new owners are willing to spend.

The club’s temporary custodians, UniCredit, the Italian banking group, are on the verge of selling Roma to Italian-American businessman Thomas Di Benedetto, who is also the co-owner of the Boston Red Sox.

Speculation has been rife in Italy for several weeks now that Di Benedetto wishes to lure Ancelotti to the Eternal City for the start of the 2011-12 season and build a new Roman Empire.

The 51-year-old ex-AC Milan boss has never hidden his wish to train Roma before he retires. Last week he confessed that coaching the Giallorossi – who he represented as a player from 1979-87, winning one Scudetto – would be his “dream”, but added he was happy to continue working with the Blues.

Di Benedetto’s group, who are prepared to pay up to £110 million for control of Roma, are expected to spend big in the summer transfer market should they complete their takeover from the Sensi Family.

One of Di Benedetto’s business partners, Julian Movsesian, promised a fortnight ago: “We will cultivate the best marketing in the world and hope Roma can win the Scudetto in our first season.”