Monza coach Raffaele Palladino gave a big hint as to his future when confessing he is learning English, as ‘it is my dream to work in the Premier League.’
The tactician had been linked with the Benfica job over the last few days, so was asked in a press conference if he was taking some Portuguese lessons.
His response was a surprising admission that will only fuel very different levels of speculation.
“My dream is to one day work in the Premier League, so I am studying English and not Portuguese,” said Palladino.
“I am determined to reach a high level in my career. Having said that, I want to end the season well here at Monza for the club, the fans and the squad.”
Palladino progress
Palladino only turned 40 last month and started his coaching career in the Monza youth team in the summer of 2021.
He was promoted to the senior job initially on an interim basis in September 2022, then was given the role permanently by then-President Silvio Berlusconi.
After twice taking Monza to mid-table comfort and security in Serie A, he seems ready to move on when his contract expires on June 30.
Palladino had been linked with a few different Italian benches for next season, including Torino, Fiorentina, Bologna and Napoli.