German coach, Kosta Runjaic will succeed Fabio Cannavaro as head coach of Udinese, the Serie A club announced on Friday.
“Udinese Calcio is pleased to announce that coach Kosta Runjaic will lead the Bianconeri next season,” the club stated in a Friday release on their website.
The new coach will be officially unveiled on June 18.
“Coach Runjaic’s presentation conference will be held on Tuesday, June 18 at 12:00, following the introduction of the new technical area at 11:00,” the statement read.
This marks the first time Runjaic, 53, will manage a team in the top flight of one of Europe’s big five leagues.
“Trained in Germany, Runjaic is known for his modern, proactive, and high-intensity football, with a focus on developing young talents.
“His adaptable coaching style and strong communication skills have helped him achieve success, including a national cup and a Super Cup in Poland over the last two years,” it read further.
For the past two seasons, Runjaic was with Legia Warsaw, where he won the Polish Cup in 2023 but was dismissed in April.
Udinese, who had three different coaches last season, finished 15th in the Italian Championship.
The statement concluded, “Now the coach will have the chance to show his qualities in Serie A with Udinese, a context of excellence in an increasingly globalized football landscape, where knowledge of international realities represents an experiential value.”
Cannavaro, who captained Italy to the 2006 World Cup and won that year’s Ballon d’Or, was appointed in April but did not have his contract extended.
Udinese is the tenth Serie A club to change coaches since the end of the 2023-24 season, a figure that could rise to 13 before training resumes in a few weeks.