Carlo Ancelotti has a “ridiculous” CV, admits former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson, but would face an altogether “different challenge” if he agreed to take the reins at Emirates Stadium.
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The sudden availability of the Italian tactician has seen him become a leading contender to succeed Unai Emery in north London, with talks being planned.
Napoli have decided to part with Ancelotti, freeing the former Chelsea boss to make a potential return to the Premier League.
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Everton, who are on the lookout for someone to replace Marco Silva, are also said to be keen on a coach who secured a Premier League and FA Cup double when at Stamford Bridge.
Ex-England international Upson can appreciate why Ancelotti is in demand, but has questioned whether a man accustomed to working at stable and successful clubs would want to take on rebuilding projects with the Gunners or the Toffees.
He told Sky Sports: “When you rattle out the list of names from Juventus, AC Milan and Chelsea and Real Madrid and you can go on and on.
“The Champions Leagues he’s won, the league titles won across three, four different leagues – his CV is ridiculous.
“But when he comes into those clubs they’re never normally suffering too much.
“He’s taken over from a relatively positive reign and the team is in quite good health, shall we say, and I think this [managing Everton or Arsenal] would be very much a different challenge.”
Pressed on whether Ancelotti would embrace the challenges of managing Arsenal, Upson added: “Only he can answer that question. But he hasn’t really looked to take on that challenge before.
“Now whether or not that’s because he hasn’t had to is a different matter. Maybe the timings of things has been perfect, he always waited and said ‘all right, that one’.
“It’s meticulous the way he’s gone about the clubs and the success he’s had from one to the other, the condition he’s taken them over in and the condition he’s left them in.
“It’s been such a polished career so far – is he going to change it for a different challenge? Perhaps he wants that.
“Perhaps his touch will get the best out of that current group of players.”
Arsenal have been working under interim boss Freddie Ljungberg since Emery was sacked, with the Swede having returned them to winning ways in the Premier League against West Ham and will be looking to make it back-to-back victories when facing Standard Liege in the Europa League on Thursday.
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