Patrick Vieira back in management with Genoa | OneFootball

Patrick Vieira has been appointed as the new boss of Serie A side Genoa.

The former Arsenal and France midfielder has agreed a deal to replace Alberto Gilardino as coach of the Italian club.

Genoa fired Gilardino on Tuesday after a poor start to the season which has left them just a point above the relegation zone.

They moved quickly for Vieira, who had a two-year spell in charge of Crystal Palace and has also managed New York City, Nice and, most recently, Strasbourg.

“Genoa CFC announces that it has entrusted the technical management of the first team to Patrick Vieira,” the club said in a statement.

The 48-year-old will be reunited with his former Manchester City team-mate Mario Balotelli, who left Nice while Vieira was the boss in 2019.

Vieira later admitted the controversial Italian striker was someone he found “difficult to work with”.