Ex Inter Milan Captain To Take Over As Nerazzurri Under-17 Coach Next Season | OneFootball

Former Nerazzurri captain Samir Handanovic will take over as coach of the Under-17 team at Inter Milan next season.

This according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews. The newspaper anticipates that the new role for the Slovenian could be part of a series of changes in Inter’s youth setup.

Last summer, Handanovic officially retired from playing football.

The former Udinese keeper’s contract with Inter expired, and he did not sign an extension or join a new club.

The question has been what the next step is for Handanovic. There has been little question that the 39-year-old would stay within football despite hanging up his gloves.

This season, Handanovic has taken his first steps into having a non-playing role at Inter.

The Gazzetta notes that the Slovenian has had a scouting berth of sorts.

Handanovic has observed a number of players for Inter, particularly goalkeepers.

And the former captain, who had spent eleven years as Nerazzurri goalkeeper, has been part of the discussion on the club’s strategy for who to sign in goal for the long term.

Samir Handanovic To Become Inter Milan U17 Coach Next Season

But according to the Gazzetta, next season will see a new role for Handanovic.

The Slovenian will take his first step into coaching, with Inter’s Under-17 team.

That will be to replace current Nerazzurri Under-17 coach Andrea Zanchetta.

The Gazzetta anticipate that Zanchetta will be the main candidate to become the coach of Inter’s Primavera, or Under-19, team.

Former defender Christian Chivu has been the coach of the Primavera side for the past three years.

However, the Romanian looks set to depart from his post this summer.

Reports have indicated that Ajax have a strong interest in appointing Chivu in a coaching role for next season.

Therefore, Inter will shuffle the back in terms of the coaches for their youth teams.

Zanchetta will take the place of Chivu, while Handanovic will take over the Under-17s.