Beijing: Italy's World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro was being hotly tipped on Monday to replace his former national coach Marcello Lippi as boss of Guangzhou Evergrande after the 66-year-old announced he was stepping aside.
Lippi announced his move after Guangzhou clinched their fourth successive Chinese Super League title on the final day of the season on Sunday with a 1-1 draw at Shandong Luneng.
"It is my last match as a head coach for the club," said Lippi, who led the Guangdong club to AFC Champions League glory in 2013.
"I will be 67, and I do not want to be the head coach any more," he added.
Lippi will become the team's chief technical officer, possibly the last stop in an incredible career in which he won five Italian Serie A titles, a UEFA Champions League and the World Cup with the Italian national team in 2006.
Cannavaro, his talismanic captain during the Azzurris' fourth World Cup victory, is likely to be unveiled as Guangzhou's new coach next week, according to reports. The former centre-back is currently being investigated by authorities in his home city of Naples on suspicion of illegally sidestepping one million euros ($1.27 million) in tax.
The 41-year-old had a glittering career at Parma, Juventus and Real Madrid and won the world player of the year award in 2006. He is currently on the coaching staff at Al-Ahli in the UAE.
