Former England manager Sam Allardyce has backed Pep Guardiola to change the culture of the Italian league if he leaves Manchester City to join Juventus.
The Spaniard will reportedly consider his future at the Etihad Stadium in the summer, with his side an almost unassailable 22 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
While Guardiola’s current contract doesn’t run out until 2021, there are various reports of a break clause that would allow him to leave one year before it is due to expire.
When asked what the City manager could bring to the Serie A, ex-West Ham boss Allardyce told talkSPORT: ‘We’re all well aware that the Italian style of football is very negative, very defensive in terms of its outlook and always has been.
‘1-0 has always been enough for them and he [Guardiola] will go and change that completely, he imposes his style of football wherever he lands and most people in this country [England] have tried to copy as best as they possibly can.
‘He will transform Juventus in terms of the way they play to his normal passing game, trying to keep possession, get forward and score goals, which is not what Juventus has been about.
‘They’ve been about how good they are defensively and good in possession but they balance the two up very well.
‘In many cases they look more at the defensive side of it rather than the attacking side and I think that will be very interesting [for Guardiola to approach].’
The former Barcelona player and manager has won major honours at every club he’s taken charge of, but the one string missing from his bow is managing a team in Italy.
Allardyce added: ‘It wouldn’t surprise me because then its Spain, Germany, England and Italy, which is along the same routes as Jose [Mourinho], so if he’s going to go anywhere it will be one of the big four.’
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