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It’s now official – Didier Deschamps has terminated his contract with Juventus “by mutual consent.”

There was confusion for almost 24 hours over the truth of the matter, as Sky TG24 announced at midnight on Friday that the Frenchman had tended his resignation.

The club released a statement today denying that was the case, but upon leaving the Stadio Olimpico after today’s 2-0 win over Mantova, Deschamps told journalists that he had indeed quit.

Late Saturday evening Juventus released another note. “Coach and club, realising that the conditions to continue the rapport with reciprocal satisfaction are not present, have decided for an amicable separation.”

This suggests that the termination is with immediate effect, so Deschamps is not expected to even sit on the bench for the remaining two Serie B games.

Juventus are already promoted and assured the Serie B title despite their nine-point Calciopoli penalty.

It’s rumoured Deschamps will replace Gerard Houllier at Lyon, while the hot favourite to take Juve into Serie A is World Cup winner Marcello Lippi.

Football Italia

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Juve old boys race for bench

Marcello Lippi warns he does not want to end his sabbatical just yet, so the list of names to lead Juventus extends to Gianluca Vialli, Walter Novellino and others.

Following Didier Deschamps’ resignation, which was made official by the club late last night, the future is up in the air for the Bianconeri.

Back in Serie A after their promotion and mathematically securing the Serie B title with a 2-0 win over Mantova, all the focus is already on next season and the newspapers tipped World Cup winner Lippi to return for a third spell on the Turin bench.

“For the moment I will not come back to Coaching,” he told ‘La Stampa.’ Lippi has been on a break since lifting the ultimate trophy in Berlin in July 2006.

Another option that has been suggested is that Lippi would become the technical director with his former captain Antonio Conte – currently in charge of Serie B side Arezzo – as the tactician.

“Certainly I would be honoured to accept such a role, as long as everyone respected their positions,” said Conte.

The other candidates to lead Juventus back into Serie A following their year in the wilderness are also former fan favourites.

Ex-Chelsea boss Vialli is currently a pundit on Sky Italia television, Claudio Gentile has been out of work since he was sacked from the Under-21 squad and Novellino will have his final game with Sampdoria this afternoon.

The latest rumours suggest that Francesco Guidolin would be an ideal candidate. He will be free of ties after taking Palermo to the UEFA Cup – despite a three-week period in which he was sacked and brought back again.

Lazio tactician Delio Rossi has been heavily linked to Juventus in recent weeks, but Biancocelesti President Claudio Lotito is at pains to point out he has a contract until 2009.