Italian media reports indicate that former Germany international and Lazio striker Miroslav Klose might be considered for the position of head coach should Maurizio Sarri decide to leave the club in the near future.
Lazio has experienced a disappointing season, despite reaching the Coppa Italia final. The team is expected to finish between ninth and eleventh place in the Serie A standings.
Sarri, who rejoined the club on a two-year contract last summer, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the team’s performance in the 2025-26 campaign, casting further doubt on his future at the Stadio Olimpico.
“This season’s situation has not pleased me. I haven’t been listened to at all, and I am far from happy. Perhaps the club is not happy either. Let’s finish the season and see if they have anything to say to me,” Sarri stated to reporters after the Derby della Capitale loss against rivals Roma.
Italian news outlets are already speculating about Sarri’s future and potential candidates to replace him if he departs at the end of the season.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, former Lazio striker Klose is among the potential options to succeed Sarri. The all-time leading World Cup goalscorer spent the last five years of his playing career in Rome, scoring 54 Serie A goals in 139 appearances between 2011 and 2016.
Why is Klose an enticing option for Lazio?
Klose began his managerial career at the start of the 2022-23 season, leading Austrian Bundesliga side Rheindorf Altach before his dismissal in March 2023.
After a year off, he took charge of 2. Bundesliga team 1. FC Nürnberg, achieving a respectable mid-table finish (10th) in his first season. Despite predictions of relegation for the 2025-26 season, Klose has improved upon the previous year’s performance, securing an eighth-place finish.
La Gazzetta dello Sport commends Klose for his ability to integrate and develop young talent during his tenure with Nürnberg. His squad in the 2024-25 season was the youngest in all of Germany’s professional leagues, with an average age of approximately 23.
Nürnberg has also profited from the sale of several young players who emerged under Klose’s guidance: Stefanos Tzimas was sold to Brighton for around €25 million in January 2025, Finn Jeltsch was transferred to VfB Stuttgart for approximately €10 million last summer, and Caspar Jandar joined Southampton for €12 million.
Furthermore, Klose gave Tino Kusanovic his debut at Nürnberg at the young age of 17 years and 62 days, making him the youngest player in the club’s history.
Klose is a figure well-known and respected by Claudio Lotito. Lotito is expected to meet with Sarri soon to discuss the coach’s future, but the situation remains uncertain for now.