AC Milan have handed manager Stefano Pioli new terms on his contract after seeing Ralf Rangnick make a sensational U-turn on his decision to join the club.
Milan have confirmed Pioli has put pen to paper on an extension, which will see him remain with the Serie A club until 2022, despite widespread anticipation that Rangnick would be joining from Leipzig, where he holds a head of sport and development role.
According to Sky Sports, Leipzig and the Red Bull company have used the last few days to convince the German manager to sign a 24-month renewal at the club and spurn the advances of Milan, who have courted his attention for several months.
This news was announced during the commentary of Milan’s match against Sassuolo, citing close sources to Rangnick that he had decided to continue with Leipzig.
However, Milan would not have been willing to pay the £6.4 million (€7m) release clause to bring him on board before his contract with the German club expired.
Rangnick at Milan would have been an innovative market operator, taking on a unique role comprising three elements: coach, technical supervisor of the transfer market and responsible for the communication of all the technical staff.
The excellent results obtained by Pioli and the unconditional support of many players, including Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alessio Romagnoli, Theo Hernandez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ante Rebic, would have put Milan in difficulty in choosing a new coach.