Arsenal could lose top managerial target to Barcelona – report

Max Allegri: Manager guide Juventus to double last season

Max Allegri: Pleased with Juve win

Fears are mounting that Arsenal could miss out on Masimiliano Allegri after Barcelona reportedly made the Juventus boss their No 1 target to replace Luis Enrique this summer.

With Arsenal expected to end their near 21-year association with Arsene Wenger at the end of the season, Allegri has emerged as one of the prime candidates to replace the Frenchman in the Emirates hotseat.

Wenger had been in talks over signing a new two-year deal with Arsenal, but after another disappointing performance in Europe against Bayern Munich, calls are growing for the Gunners to seek a change of direction this summer.

However, the Sunday Express claims in an exclusive that Barcelona have also earmarked Allegri as their preferred choice to replace Luis Enrique, who has largely disappointed in the Nou Camp hotseat.

The paper claims Barcelona have already sounded Allegri out about moving to Spain in the summer with Barca’s sporting director Ariedo Braida having worked with him while they were at Milan together.

The likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Jurgen Klopp, Ronald Koeman and Jorge Sampaoli have been linked with the Barcelona hotseat – but with Luis Enrique facing the chop this summer – it appears Allegri is now their top choice, given he’s most likely to leave his current employers.

If Barcelona do end up luring Allegri to Spain, that will leave Arsenal to seek a Wenger replacement elsewhere, with our video, below, summing up the leading contenders.

Allegri has refused to offer any guarantees on his Juventus future, having been quoted earlier this month as saying:

“I won’t deny or confirm anything [on my future]. I am in sync with the club, now we have to focus on winning.

“At this time of the season the media always says I’m leaving, even when things are going really well.”