Al Nasr expect ex-Roma, Fiorentina and Italy boss Cesare Prandelli to officially join them next week, with the club immediately looking to the future after chastening defeat in the President’s Cup final.

A miserable 2016/17 for the Blue Wave ended with a 3-0 defeat to Al Wahda at a boiling Zayed Sports City on Friday night. This was the final engagement for Romanian tactician Dan Petrescu, whose seven-month deal expires imminently.

Speaking to Al Ittihad newspaper in the bowels of the stadium in Abu Dhabi, chairman Humaid Al Tayer revealed an agreement was close with the 56-year-old who led the Azzurri to second place at Euro 2012.

He said: “We reached an agreement with Prandelli by 95 per cent. The coach arrives next week to sign the contract and be presented at a press conference.”

Prandelli has been out of work since he resigned in December after only three months at La Liga-outfit Valencia.

This continued a chequered return to club management after leading his nation from 2010-14. In 2014, he lasted only 147 days at Turkish giants Galatasaray.

But the ex-Juventus midfielder previously gained a strong reputation when named Serie A Coach of the Year in 2007/08 when at the Viola.

If confirmed, Prandelli will become the second Italian to boss the Blue Wave. Ex-Internazionale goalkeeper Walter Zenga was in charge from January 2011-June 2013.

His prospective club finished an underwhelming sixth this season in the Arabian Gulf League.