Atalanta and Raffaele Palladino part company as Maurizio Sarri tipped for role

The 42-year-old has left his post after 39 matches in charge, despite guiding the club from Bergamo to a seventh-place league finish last term, having endured a tough opening to the season.

He was appointed in November as a replacement for Ivan Juric, inheriting a side that was struggling in the bottom half of the standings.

Although he stabilised their form, Atalanta could not replicate the standards set under previous boss Gian Piero Gasperini.

Their Champions League campaign concluded in the round of 16, where they were heavily beaten 10-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich.

According to reports in the Italian press, former Lazio, Juventus and Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is the frontrunner to succeed Palladino. The 67-year-old recently terminated his contract with Lazio by mutual consent.