Hartlepool United's managerial vacancy is interesting former Middlesbrough favourite Fabrizio Ravanelli, Football League World understands. 

Dave Challinor has left Hartlepool this week under a dark cloud, opting to take a step back and join Stockport County in the National League. That's despite Pools enjoying a strong start to the season, which leaves them 10th in the League Two table.

However, the job at Victoria Park is attracting the interest of big names.

Football League World understand that Ravanelli wants to return to North East and take on the Hartlepool job, which would be his first managing in the EFL.

The 52-year-old's previous managerial roles came with AC Ajaccio in France and then FC Arsenal Kyiv in the Ukraine. He's currently an ambassador at Juventus, one of his other former clubs.

Ravanelli, though, has had a long-term ambition to return to England and try his hand at management.

This isn't the first time he's thrown his hat into the ring for a job in the EFL either.

Ahead of Middlesbrough's return to the Championship in 2017/18, Ravanelli told Sky Sports how he wanted to manage his former club, urging Steve Gibson to pick up the phone and make contact.

The Italian played for Middlesbrough during the 1996/97 campaign, having signed from Juventus. Ravanelli scored 31 goals in 48 appearances that season, including a hat-trick against Liverpool on his debut.

However, Boro would be relegated from the Premier League and lose both the FA Cup and League Cup final in a remarkable year.

Ravanelli would spend time with Derby County after spells in Europe before joining Dundee, which remains the last we saw of the former Italy international in English football.

It's not yet clear what direction Hartlepool will take in appointing Challinor's successor, with Ravanelli's potential return to England and the North East football scene rather left-field.