Allegri is the missing piece of the managerial puzzle

Pep Guardiola has signed on the dotted line at Manchester City, Jose Mourinho looks close to doing the same at Manchester United, so what about Chelsea?

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Massimiliano Allegri is the answer.

The highly regarded coach of Juventus looks likely to join Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp in the English Premier League and he is the right man for the job.

For Allegri it’s the next challenge in an illustrious career - but it would never have happened had he not taken over at the Old Lady.

The unwanted former AC Milan coach arrived in Turin much to the consternation of Juventus supporters.

For the Juventus officials he was cheap and available after Antonio Conte took over as boss of the Italy national team, but to many of the club’s supporters he was simply the former discarded coach of their archrivals Milan.

They just didn’t want him. 

Fast forward two years and my, how things have changed.

Allegri is loved and his appeal stretches well beyond Turin. He is a class act both on and off the field, humble, unassuming, polite, well-spoken and elegant.

Allegri is the real deal and the perfect fit for Chelsea - he would be a manager of real class for a team from London’s most affluent part.

Even though he had won a Scudetto with AC Milan in 2011, he ended up on the scrapheap after nearly four seasons in Italy’s fashion capital.

But one person’s trash is another’s treasure, and what a treasure he has revealed himself to be.

In his first season Juventus won the league title, their fourth in a row, and reached the UEFA Champions League final which they lost to Barcelona.

"Surely it couldn’t be done again," some muttered.

Although we're a while from the finish line, it’s fair to say that at the very least Allegri has matched last season if not exceeded it already.

After a slow start to the Serie A season this year, Juventus have now won 14 matches in a row. It’s a truly remarkable achievement and one that sees the club face Napoli on Saturday night in what is already billed as the game that will decide the Scudetto.

From nowhere Juventus are now two points off the lead and with high flying Napoli clearly in their sights. Juventus’ fifth title in a row and Allegri’s second is a very real possibility.

Allegri’s role in all of this success is clear. 14 wins in a row is almost impossible and in the Serie A it’s a minor miracle - the record of 17 belongs to Inter but it occurred in the post-corruption scandal season when the field of contenders was weaker.

The whole focus in England will be on Guardiola, so Allegri will slip into London and, at least partially, under the radar which is just the way he likes it.

Manchester City fans may not like hear it but the really big deal in the EPL managerial world next season will be Allegri.

Joe Russo is a football writer for Australian-based Italian newspapers La Fiamma and Il Globo.