Lecce-Di Francesco, it's countdown

LECCE - Soon, with the hiring of Giovanni Stroppa by Venezia, Lecce will be able to officially announce Eusebio Di Francesco as their new coach, ahead of the 2025/2026 Italian top championship.

The two things would appear to be intimately connected as the Pescara trainer is still tied to the lagoon club by a contract expiring on 30 June 2026. Before putting pen to paper with the Salento club, therefore, the former Sassuolo and former Roma player needs to free himself from the orange-black-green partnership.

Venezia, despite the relegation to the second division, would have liked to confirm Di Francesco who, for his part, has never hidden his intention to continue competing in Serie A, if he had the opportunity.

This opportunity came with the proposal that was formulated by the duo Pantaleo Corvino-Stefano Trinchera to lead Lecce. The leaders of the lagoon club then turned to Stroppa who, in turn, had to end the relationship with Cremonese, after having "piloted" it from B to the top division.

Now it seems that the 57-year-old coach from Maluzzano is very close to Venezia and as soon as everything is sorted out, Di Francesco will be able to put his signature at the bottom of the annual contract (with automatic renewal in case of permanence) that will bind him to the company chaired by Saverio Sticchi Damiani, with which there is already an agreement on every detail.

Some of the members of the staff that the coach from Abruzzo could count on in the lagoon will follow him to Salento, including the athletic trainer Massimo Neri, who has already been involved with the Salento club at the beginning of his career and who has been part of Di Francesco's work group for two years.

The impasse that has arisen around the official announcement of the new Giallorossi coach has in no way slowed down the planning of the technical area manager Corvino and the sporting director Trinchera. The management of the Salento club, in fact, has examined the various issues with Di Francesco, taking note of the characteristics that they would like in the players they will have to manage, especially in certain roles. The two managers have also briefed him in detail on the situation regarding the players who are currently on the roster. Now they will move as always with the lights off on the basis of the indications received and based on the spending limits imposed by the budget.

On the other hand, Corvino has repeatedly stressed that the market is open in certain periods, for the purposes of transfers from one club to another, but it is prepared continuously throughout the year, monitoring the elements that are in the sights and examining others.

Anyone who knows the Vernole manager knows well that he has planned a whole series of moves, relating them to the possible "exit" of this or that player.

Corvino and Trinchera on one side and Di Francesco on the other have also spoken about retreat. The location chosen by Lecce is Bressanone and the departure should take place on July 24.

A year ago, the Salento team established its headquarters in Austria, but this choice complicated the plans of those fans who would have liked to follow the preparation of their favorites nearby for a few days. So, in view of the start of the new season, the municipality of the autonomous province of Bolzano-Alto Adige, which is located about 600 meters above sea level, was chosen.

From now until the departure for the retreat, if the July 24 date is confirmed, Corvino and Trinchera will have a month to try to make as many of the moves they have planned, both incoming and outgoing, to define the 2025/2026 squad. All this to allow Di Francesco and his staff to work immediately with a large portion of the group that will then be available during the competitive season and up to the winter transfer market. Easy to say, but difficult to do because market issues often unravel in the last few days.