Ruben Amorim is Ibrahimovic's preferred choice for AC Milan job

AC Milan is poised for a new era under a foreign coach, moving away from its Italian identity after Max Allegri's failure to guide the team to the Champions League. The search for a new manager involves several prominent names, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport this Friday.

Oliver Glasner, the former Crystal Palace manager, has emerged as the leading candidate. The Austrian coach, who previously won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt and recently turned down an offer from Feyenoord, is currently in a holding pattern. Milan has reportedly offered him a two-year contract, with an option for a third, and a salary ranging between three and four million euros.

However, club owner Gerry Cardinale intends to have the final say in the process and is personally conducting interviews alongside Massimo Calvelli, with remote input from Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The RedBird founder, who owns Milan, wants to explore all possibilities before making a decision. This means Glasner is now waiting on Milan, rather than the other way around.

While the selection process unfolds, Milan's management has sounded out other names. Álvaro Arbeloa, who had a brief and unsuccessful spell at Real Madrid, was among those contacted. Other leads point to Matthias Jaissle, currently managing Al Ahli where he has won the Asian Champions League twice, and Ruben Amorim, who has been out of management since leaving Manchester United in January. Although Glasner remains the favorite, the pool of options remains open, with Amorim reportedly a candidate favored by Ibrahimovic.

To secure Jaissle, Milan would need to pay a six-million-euro release clause to the Saudi club. As for Amorim, following his success at Sporting, he has reportedly been contacted by Milan, although, as A BOLA previously reported, the coach intends to take a sabbatical during the 2026/27 season.

Cardinale's strategy is clear: first appoint a technical director, and only then the head coach. In this context, Ralf Rangnick continues to delay renewing his contract with the Austrian national team, as he considers Milan's offer to lead their technical area. His potential appointment could influence the choice of coach, given his past collaboration with Jaissle at RB Salzburg.