Napoli sacked coach Carlo Ancelotti soon after he guided the team into the Champions League knockout stages on Tuesday.

The sacking followed after a poor run which saw the Serie A club failing to pick up a victory in nine games in all competitions until last night’s 4-0 success at home to Genk.

There was also a high-profile dispute that happened last month between the gaffer and the club president Aurelio de Laurentiis which could have severed the relationship of the two but Napoli played it down.

A club statement read: “SSC Napoli has decided to revoke the role of first-team coach from Mr Carlo Ancelotti.

“The rapport of friendship, admiration and reciprocal respect between the club, its President and Carlo Ancelotti remain intact.”

Ancelotti, who won the Premier League and FA Cup Double with Chelsea in 2009-10, has quickly been linked with taking over at Arsenal or Everton.

The two EPL sides have caretaker coaches in place right now after parting ways with their substantive mentors at the start of this month.

Meanwhile, reports in Italy suggest that Gennaro Gattuso, sacked by AC Milan at the end of last season, has been lined up as Ancelotti’s replacement at Napoli.