Inter have confirmed the sacking of manager Roberto Mancini just under two weeks before the start of the new Serie A season.
The Nerazzurri’s Chinese owners have decided to wield the axe following the club’s heavy 6-1 defeat against Tottenham in a pre-season friendly in Oslo.
Mancini, 51, had been under pressure at Inter due to the club’s failure to qualify for this season’s Champions League with a fourth-placed finish last term, having been top of the table as late as January.
And Mancini has since been dismissed on the back of just one win from five pre-season friendlies, with former Ajax boss Frank de Boer poised to replace him at the helm, Goal understands.
“Inter would like to place on record its thanks to Roberto for the work carried out with the team since joining in November 2014,” said a club statement.
“Last season the club led Serie A until the Christmas break, ending the season in fourth place and qualifying for the UEFA Europa League. “We thank Roberto for the work and commitment he has shown the club over the past 20 months.”
Mancini, who guided Inter to three Serie A titles between 2004 and 2008, returned to the club for a second spell in November 2014.
The former Manchester City boss led Inter to eighth during the 2014-15 campaign and brought in a number of big signings last summer in an attempt to lead the club back into the Champions League.
However, Inter finished 13 points behind third-placed Roma and were also beaten by Juventus on penalties in the Coppa Italia semi-finals.