Former Italy manager Roberto Mancini is reportedly advanced talks over becoming the new manager of the Saudi Arabia national team.

According to , Mancini is the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's first choice.

Mancini resigned as Italy head coach on Saturday evening after five years in charge.

During his time as Italy boss Mancini won Euro 2020 and also finished in third place in the Nations League on two occasions.

'The Italian Football Federation announces that it has taken note of the resignation of Roberto Mancini from the position of coach of the Italian national team, received late yesterday evening,' a statement read.

'Thus concludes a significant page in the history of the Azzurri, which began in May 2018 and concluded with the 2023 Nations League Finals; in between, the victory at Euro 2020, a triumph conquered by a group in which all the individuals have known how to become a team.'

Saad Al-Shehri is currently in interim charge of Saudi Arabia, who have been without a permanent coach since Herve Renard left in March.  

Saudi Arabia qualified for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups but went out in the group stages on both occasions.

They did, however, beat eventual winners Argentina 2-1 in the group stage in Qatar last year. 

Mancini could become the latest high-profile figure to head to Saudi Arabia, with a host of players now playing club football in the country, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante, while Neymar is set to join Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain.

During a lengthy managerial career Mancini has taken charge of Fiorentina, Lazio, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Galatasaray, Inter Milan and Zenit Saint Petersburg.