OFFICIAL: Gattuso leaves Milan, to forego €11m salary
After director Leonardo, now Gennaro Gattuso has also officially left Milan and decided to forego a salary worth €11m so his staff will be paid.The club released a statement this afternoon announcing that Gattuso had terminated his contract by mutual consent after failing to secure a top four finish.
It comes under an hour after director of sport Leonardo’s resignation was confirmed, as CEO Ivan Gazidis begins a complete and total revolution of the club.
“AC Milan announces Gennaro Gattuso will leave his role as the Club’s First Team manager by mutual agreement with immediate effect,” read the statement.
“The Club will now conduct a recruitment process for a new full-time Manager for the First Team, ahead of the ICC summer tour and the first seasonal matches of the 2019/20 domestic championship, the domestic cup and the UEFA Europa League.
“AC Milan wishes to thank Gennaro Gattuso for his leadership during the last eighteen months. A true legend of the Rossoneri, Gennaro stepped into the role during what was a difficult period for the Club and has performed admirably, securing the Club’s highest League points total since 2012/13.
“AC Milan must now look to the future, whilst ensuring continuity, financial stability and sustainable growth.
“Ivan Gazidis, CEO of AC Milan, said: “I have had the privilege to get to know Rino Gattuso over the past six months since my arrival at the Club. Rino has given everything to our efforts this season, and has worked tirelessly, always taking full responsibility, putting the club above every other consideration. I want to say from the bottom of our hearts, thank you Rino.”
The Coach had a contract until June 2021, so could have continued taking on the wages or demanded a considerable pay-off to terminate the deal early.
Instead, it’s widely reported Gattuso has shown his love for the club and above all his staff by deciding to forego a sum close to €11m gross in exchange for his collaborators receiving all the money they were owed.
That works out to €4m gross for the remaining two years of the deal.
Gattuso spent most of his playing career at Milan and took over as Coach from Vincenzo Montella on November 27, 2017.
The Rossoneri had an average of 1.81 points per Serie A game during his tenure, but during that period only Juventus (2.44) and Napoli (2.13) did better.