Paolo Vanoli is the leading candidate to take charge of Fiorentina after the club dismissed Fabio Grosso, according to respected Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
Fiorentina are now considering a return for Vanoli, who managed the club during the previous season. His work during that spell helped the team make progress and, crucially, retain their place in Italy’s top flight.
The possibility of another change has emerged after a difficult start to the current campaign. Fiorentina have lost their position near the top of the table after the opening three rounds and now sit bottom of the Serie A standings.
Vanoli is therefore being viewed as the main contender for the vacant position. His previous experience with the club, together with his role in helping Fiorentina avoid relegation last season, is central to his candidacy.
The Italian coach could return to Serie A after previously managing in the division. He also has experience outside Italy, including a spell in charge of Spartak Moscow in 2022.
Fiorentina’s search follows Grosso’s departure, which has left the club needing a new head coach at an early stage of the season. The club’s position at the foot of the table has increased the importance of the appointment, with Vanoli now identified as the preferred option by Di Marzio.
Vanoli’s earlier work at Fiorentina came during a campaign in which the club had to fight to preserve its top-flight status. Although the team did not make a dramatic rise in the standings, it recorded enough progress under his management to secure its place in Serie A.
The current situation has brought that previous contribution back into focus. Fiorentina are again facing a fight to move away from the bottom of the table, and Vanoli is regarded as a coach who already understands the club and the demands surrounding the job.
Vanoli is not the only former Spartak Moscow coach currently working in Serie A. Domenico Tedesco, another previous manager of the Russian club, is also coaching in Italy and is in charge of Bologna.
For now, Di Marzio considers Vanoli the strongest candidate to succeed Grosso. A Fiorentina appointment would represent a return to the club for Vanoli, as well as another opportunity to work in Serie A after his previous spell with the team and his time at Spartak Moscow.