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.

Juve are back, bt no DD .. Maybe Lippi.

I think Lippi, any chance of a Capello return you reckons?

Cappelo left Juve on bed terms (fight with Del Piero ect...) plus Cappelo don't know yet if he's staying at Real and Juve not gonna wait for him that long so it probably will be Lippi

I'd be amazingly shocked if he stayed. They've been slamming him all season long, now he has the chance to disrespect them like he's been disrespcted this season, and 10 years ago. If I were him, I'd walk out and never come back.

Juve denies Deschamps resignation reports

TURIN, Italy (AP) - Juventus has denied an Italian TV station's claim that coach Didier Deschamps has resigned.

"Juventus has not received any notice of resignation from Didier Deschamps," the club said Saturday on its Web site. "Therefore, the coach will be on the bench as usual for today's match with Mantova."

Italy's Sky Tg24 reported late Friday that Deschamps had resigned during a meeting with club CEO Jean-Claude Blanc. According to the report, Deschamps will leave at the end of the season.

Sky acknowledged Juve's statement Saturday, but said it was just a delay tactic - perhaps until after Saturday's game when a formal, written resignation is received.

"Blanc will continue the discussions, which already began during the week, to quickly clear up the matter with (Deschamps)," the club's statement concluded.

Sky Tg24 said Saturday that Deschamps had insisted on two conditions to stay - a contract extension and more power over acquisitions - which weren't accepted.

A former Juventus player, Deschamps was hired last summer in the middle of a match-fixing trial that resulted in Juventus being relegated to Serie B.

Juventus clinched promotion to Serie A last weekend.

I'd be amazingly shocked if he stayed. They've been slamming him all season long, now he has the chance to disrespect them like he's been disrespcted this season, and 10 years ago. If I were him, I'd walk out and never come back.

Yes, I think Capello would win the league, then walk out on Madrid, he's Italian. It is a matter of price  

I`m not that sure either Lippi or Capello would take over at Juve. But now I`m confused...why would Deschamps resign?

Why not Zidane as coach?

Deschamps is on his way to Lyon.

Why? Did Houllier resign??

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.

Why? Did Houllier resign??

He's going to Man City. 

Juventus have issued a desperate plea for Marcello Lippi to return to the club, despite the World Cup winning coach's protestations that he is not ready to come back to football.

The Bianconeri are searching for a new manager to lead the club in Serie A next season, after Didier Deschamps resigned having clinched the Serie B title despite the club suffering a points deduction at the start of the campaign.

Lippi - who has been out of work since leading Italy to World Cup glory last summer - has emerged as an early contender for the post, having won five Scudettos and the UEFA Champions League in two previous spells with the club.

The highly-regarded boss has already stated he is not willing to cut short his sabbatical for Juve though, leaving the Old Lady jilted in the process.

Now general manager Jean-Claude Blanc has pleaded with Lippi to return to Turin under whatever job title he wishes.

"We want Lippi immediately, in whatever role," Blanc told Gazzetta dello Sport. "He just has to tell us what he wants to do."

However, Lippi has again moved to state there is no chance of him linking up with his former club, telling Rai TV: "I have already said that I am taking a break for some more months, therefore none of this is true.

"Juventus for me signifies eight stupendous years of great success and satisfaction, therefore it is a word that stays in my heart."