Football
8y

Sampdoria face battle with Fiorentina to appoint Vincenzo Montella

Fiorentina are demanding compensation from Sampdoria if they appoint Vincenzo Montella as their new coach.

Sampdoria were hoping to appoint former Catania, Roma and Fiorentina coach Montella as a replacement for Walter Zenga, who was dismissed on Tuesday.

However, although Fiorentina released Montella from his duties in June, the contract he agreed with the Viola contained a release clause reported to be worth €5 million and does not expire until next summer.

Samp president Massimo Ferrero travelled to Florence on Tuesday afternoon, looking to convince the Viola to release Montella from that contract, but Fiorentina's honorary president Andrea Della Valle said the deal should be honoured.

"If a clause exists, then it is there to be respected," Della Valle told reporters. "Montella knows this very well, considering it was he who insisted on having this clause in the first place.

"We're willing to compromise a little, but let's not forget that he is under contract."

Montella effectively walked out on Fiorentina in the summer after delaying on a decision to commit to the final year of his contract.

At the time, he was being linked with offers from other clubs and Fiorentina refused to tear up the agreement he had with them, preventing him from finding another job in the summer.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Sampdoria forward has already reached an agreement with the Genovese club and it is now up to the two clubs to reach a compromise.

Should they fail, Samp may instead turn to former coach Luigi Del Neri, who led them to a fourth-place finish and a berth in the Champions League playoff in 2010, before joining Juventus.

The 65-year-old may not be a popular choice among the fans, though, since he went on to coach at city rivals Genoa after his solitary season with the Bianconeri.

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