Allegri appointment leaves Juve evens for fourth straight Scudetto

Massimiliano Allegri’s arrival at reigning Serie A champions Juventus has coincided with a lengthening in their odds, with Coral, on taking a fourth consecutive Italian top-flight title to evens.

Antonio Conte may have felt the unprecedented achievement (in the modern era) of three league crowns in a row was as far as he could take the Old Lady. Whether Juve’s former manager takes over as Italy national boss remains to be seen.

Once Conte quit Turin, however, gossip columns became rife with linking players following him. Paul Pogba, the reigning Golden Boy winner for best youngster in Europe and World Cup Young Player of the Tournament, is coveted by Europe’s elite. More pressing for Juventus, though, is a reportedly fractured relationship between new boss Allegri and playmaker Andrea Pirlo.

This pair worked together at AC Milan, but it was widely reported Pirlo only left the San Siro because Allegri became convinced his legs had gone, and therefore he had nothing to offer any more. The Rossoneri have struggled ever since, eventually sacking the coach who made such a poor judgement on this outstanding player in January.

Whether Allegri deserved another crack at a top job so soon is a moot point, because he’s been installed in Turin. Midfield could be decimated, though, with Liverpool and Manchester United chasing Chile box-to-box star Arturo Vidal. Exits for Pirlo, Pogba and Vidal is the doomsday scenario, mind.

A change in setup is expected at Juve. Allegri never favoured 3-5-2 at Milan, so the players will have to buy into a new system. New £15m striker signing Alvaro Morata will be unable to hit the ground running up front, however, because a knee injury in training has cost him six weeks of the season before a ball has even been kicked.

Mirko Vucinic and Fabio Quagliarella, both 30-somethings, have been sold, leaving Morata just competing with Carlos Tevez, compatriot Fernando Llorente and Sebastian Giovinco for a space in attack when he returns. Patrice Evra, meanwhile, is the other major summer recruit, plus Udinese’s Argentine utility man Roberto Pereyra as a loan acquisition.

Inter Milan, backed by Indonesian investor Erick Thohir’s billions, look capable of mounting a credible challenge at worst. Their odds for the Italian title with Coral are a tempting 14/1. Nemanja Vidic will marshal the Nerazzurri defence following his free transfer to the San Siro from Old Trafford.