Brazilian Leonardo will be Milan’s coach following Carlo Ancelotti’s departure, chief executive Adriano Galliani has said.
“It will be Leonardo. Tomorrow he will be presented at 12,” he told Rai television.
The former Milan player has been working as sporting director at the club. Ancelotti has said he would leave the club by mutual agreement but he did not say he was going to join Chelsea.
His contract was due to run out in 2010 but speculation has been rife for weeks that he is heading to the Premier League club.
“In agreement with the club, we have decided to bring forward the expiry of my contract,” he told Sky. “This beautiful adventure at Milan is over. I can’t say anything else official. I have not made any agreement with any other club. I have agreed to leave Milan. The decision was by mutual consent. But a move to London is not certain yet.”
However when he was told “good luck” in English, he replied: “This I won’t understand until I arrive.”
Ancelotti was Serie A’s longest serving manager having been appointed in 2001. He decided to leave the club after his side booked their place in the Champions League group stages and gave Paolo Maldini a winning send-off as they beat Fiorentina 2-0. But while Maldini was afforded a great reception from both sets of fans in Florence to celebrate his 24 years as a Milan player, Ancelotti made a more discreet departure.
The Italian has been widely tipped to join Chelsea next season, despite Milan’s fans chanting for him to stay throughout the game.