Parma are close to appointing former Valencia and Inter boss Hector Cuper as their new coach, the Serie A strugglers said yesterday.

Domenico Di Carlo was sacked on Monday after fourth-from-bottom Parma suffered their 12th league defeat of the season on Sunday when they lost 2-1 at home to Sampdoria.

"We are practically in agreement with Hector Cuper. Tomorrow if everything goes to plan, there will be a news conference to present him," Parma president Tommaso Ghirardi told reporters.

Argentine Cuper, who led Valencia to two Champions League finals in 2000 and 2001, had a largely unsuccessful spell at Inter between 2001 and 2003.

His last job was at Spain's Real Betis, where he was sacked in December.

Parma, the 1995 and 1999 UEFA Cup winners, are level on 25 points with Empoli, who occupy the first of three relegation places.

Di Carlo was appointed in June after Claudio Ranieri quit and joined Juventus having kept Parma up at the end of last season.

The January signing of Italy striker Cristiano Lucarelli from Shakhtar Donetsk failed to revive Parma's fortunes and Di Carlo paid the price.

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