Inter Milan have sacked coach Stefano Pioli after six months in charge, and Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez is being linked with the post.
Pioli, who replaced Frank de Boer in November on an 18-month deal, has paid for Inter's poor recent form which has seen the Nerazzurri pick up just one point from their last six games.
Sunday's 1-0 defeat at relegation-battling Genoa left Inter in seventh place in Serie A, nine points adrift of fifth-placed Atalanta, and proved the final straw for the club's board.
A statement on www.inter.it read: "Inter Milan announces that it has parted ways with coach Stefano Pioli and his technical staff.
"Inter thanks Stefano and his team for their dedication and hard work at the club over the last six months in what has proven to be a difficult season."
Inter confirmed that Primavera (youth team) coach Stefano Vecchi would take charge for the club's final three games of the season, against Sassuolo, Lazio and Udinese.
Vecchi also took interim charge of Inter for two games following De Boer's departure, before the club appointed former Lazio boss Pioli.
The 51-year-old Pioli had been under increasing pressure in recent weeks and reportedly offered to resign following the team's 5-4 defeat to Fiorentina last month.
Inter, who received heavy investment from the club's new Chinese owners last summer, gave Pioli their full backing following that match but subsequent defeats to Napoli and Genoa has resulted in a change of direction.