Gennaro Gattuso has left Serie A giants AC Milan after missing out on the Champions League qualification.

Milan finished in fifth position and 22 points behind champions Juventus.

According to Repubblica, an Italian newspaper, the 41-year old gaffer said: “Deciding to leave Milan’s bench is not easy. But it’s a decision I had to make.

“There was not a precise moment in which I decided it: it was the sum of these 18 months as coach of a team that for me will never be like the others.

“Months that I lived with great passion, unforgettable months. It is a painful but thoughtful choice.

“Am I giving up a two-year contract? Yes, because my story with Milan can never be a question of money.”

Gattuso joined the side as the head coach in 2017 and still had two more years left on his contract.

Meanwhile, Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim and Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi are among the early names to have been linked with a move to Milan.