AC Milan sacked manager Massimiliano Allegri earlier this morning, hours after a 4 - 3 defeat to lowly Sassuolo left them in the bottom half of the Serie A table.

Allegri was due to step down at the end of this season in any case but with the Rossoneri already 30 points off leaders Juventus, the hierarchy have deemed the situation untenable.

So thoughts turn to a replacement for the man who led Milan to the Scudetto in 2011...

 

Clarence Seedorf

The Milan legend is currently closing out his career for Brazilian side Botafogo, but for some he is the favourite for the job.

The 37-year-old Dutchman, who has no management experience, is reported to have spoken to Milan's vice-President Adriano Galliani about the prospect of taking over at the under-performing club.

Galliani admitted that he met Seedorf during the winter break and when pressed on the midfielder's chances he said:

"Seedorf in pole position? Let's say he's in position!"

Owner Silvio Berlusconi is believed to be keen on appointing Seedorf full-time in the summer.

 

Filippo Inzaghi

The ex-Milan striker has been getting praise for his work with the Milan Primavera (U19) team. 

And many are tipping him to earn a promotion to the role with the senior team until the end of the season.

 

JUST IN: Inzaghi will be the new Milan manager, according to tomorrow Gazzetta

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) January 12, 2014

 

Football Italia have reported that Inzaghi is currently in talks with Milan. Assuming that the club's form improves under his stewardship, then he could be in pole position to take the role on full-time.

 

Luciano Spalletti 

The former Roma coach appeared to put himself forward for the job last week after it became clear that Allegri would leave in the summer.

Currently in charge of Zenit St Petersburg, he told Gazzetta dello Sport that, "From a coach's point of view, this is the perfect time to take charge of Milan."

However he also spoke of honoring his contract at the Russian club.

Spalletti initially enjoyed relative success at Roma, winning the Serie A Coach of the Year award in 2006.