Zola lined up as Reja´s replacement

Lazio are reportedly ready to replace head coach Edy Reja with Gianfranco Zola at the end of the Serie A season.

Reja, 66, has guided Lazio to third place in the Serie A table, but they have lost three of their last four league games, and face stiff competition from Napoli and Udinese in the race for Champions League qualification.

Reja attempted to resign from his position in February, but Lazio president Claudio Lotito convinced him to stay.

However, according to reports in Corriere dello Sport, Reja will be dismissed at the end of the season, regardless of whether or not Lazio achieve a third-place finish.

And Lotito is believed to have already made a decision on who will replace Reja, with 45-year-old Zola the leading candidate.

The former Chelsea forward has been out of management since being sacked by West Ham in May 2010.

He also worked as Italy’s Under-21 assistant coach between 2006 and 2008.