Spalletti to Zenit Gaining Steam

Luciano Spalletti’s arrival at Zenit may be hastened by AC Milan’s struggles in Italy.

That’s the idea behind this morning’s reports, which say the Zenit is attempting to get their long term target inked now, before a marquee job in Italy opens up. The report notes that Leonardo’s job at AC Milan is in jeopardy, and that was before Milan lost 1-0 at home to Switzerland’s FC Zürich in Wednesday’s Champions League action.

There had never been a rush to get Spalletti in the fold, and with Zenit surging in league, signing on the big-name coach could do more short-term harm than good. Zenit is in a Champions League position right now, but even a temporary bump would be enough to relegate them to a Europa League spot, which at this point would be a failure in St. Petersburg.

With Milan’s loss today, Zenit will likely hasten the recruitment process. A logical deal would have Spalletti sign an agreement to take over the managerial position after the season, but with other jobs in Italy looking to be available soon, Spalletti likely holds all the cards. If Zenit want him, it will be on the former Roma boss’s terms.

But at what point do Zenit turn to Plan B.