Vincenzo Montella has been sacked by AC Milan and replaced by Gennaro Gattuso after the Serie A club’s poor start to the season.

The result means the Rossoneri have now gone four home league games without hitting the back of the net – a run which has seen them fall 18 points behind Serie A leaders Napoli.

According to a message posted by Milan on Twitter, former player Gennaro Gattuso has been promoted from his role with the Primavera youth team to take charge of the senior side. It is not known if Gattuso’s appointment is on a temporary or long-term basis.

Milan finished sixth in Serie A last season, a point and a place above rivals Inter, but although the club made 11 major signings in the transfer window, including Leonardo Bonucci, Andre Silva and Andrea Conti, results have been poor.

Montella’s side opened the campaign with wins against Crotone and Cagliari, but a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Lazio then suggested there was plenty of work to do if they were to achieve their goal of Champions League qualification.

After victories over Udinese and SPAL temporarily papered over the cracks, Milan subsequently lost three league games in a row, including suffering a thrilling 3-2 derby defeat to Inter, thanks to Mauro Icardi’s brilliant hat-trick.

Further home defeats to Roma and Juventus followed and with Milan well off the pace, the club has opted to move on by parting company with 43-year-old Montella, who was appointed in June 2016.

Former Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti, sacked by Bayern Munich earlier this season, is expected to be among the leading contenders to replace Montella.

However, the Italian – who won a Serie A title and the Champions League twice in his previous eight-year spell at the club – has previously announced his intention to take the rest of the season off.