Conte tempted by return as Italy coach – report

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Antonio Conte is tempted by a return as Italy’s national team coach while Napoli would not oppose his summer exit.

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Conte is emerging as the leading candidate to replace Gennaro Gattuso as Italy’s national team coach.

The Italian tactician’s contract expires in June 2027, and according to Gazzetta, Conte is more than interested in returning to the Azzurri’s bench for a second stint.

Conte already coached Italy from 2014 to 2016, reaching the Euros quarter-finals, where La Nazionale was eliminated on penalties by Germany.

According to Gazzetta, Conte has great memories of his time as La Nazionale’s coach, and everyone at FIGC feels the 56-year-old would be the right man to revive the Azzurri.

The Pink Paper claims that Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis would allow Conte to join the national team despite a contract expiring in one year.

According to Gazzetta, Aurelio De Laurentiis’ green light ‘would not be an issue’ especially if Giovanni Malagò is picked as the new FIGC President.

A caretaker coach, probably Silvio Baldini, will be appointed for the June friendlies, while the new Italy boss won’t be picked before the end of June/start of July, given that the new FIGC President won’t be elected before June 22.

Massimiliano Allegri and Roberto Mancini have also been linked with the Italy job, but the Milan coach has said that he’s happy at San Siro, while doubts over Mancini mostly concern his 2023 exit, when he suddenly stepped down with a formal email just to be appointed as the new Saudi Arabia national team coach just a few weeks later.

• Read more – The possible Italy line-ups under Mancini or Conte