Milan and Napoli are in the market for new head coaches as Stefano Pioli and Francesco Calzona count their final days in charge of Serie A powerhouses. The name of Antonio Conte has been a common denominator in ever-growing speculation over the two hottest seats in Italy.
Conte has been out of work since March 2023, when he terminated his contract with Tottenham Hotspur. Since then, numerous clubs in Serie A have showcased interest in his services, including Milan and Napoli. In fact, these two struggling giants have emerged as the likeliest landing spots for the 54-year-old.
As the summer transfer window looms larger, talks of Conte’s return to Italy are gaining momentum. Not long ago, he was the leading candidate to replace Pioli at Milan. However, rumors have cooled lately, with Rossoneri contemplating various options, including Porto’s Sergio Conceicao.
Meanwhile, Napoli bigwig Aurelio De Laurentiis reportedly held discussions with Conte in person last month. He offered the ex-Juventus boss a job as Calzona failed to live up to expectations and will focus on his international duties with Slovakia at the end of a disastrous season for Partenopei.
Despite seemingly lagging behind Napoli in this race, we see Milan as the frontrunners to hire Conte.
Milan better environment than Napoli at the moment
A year after ending a 33-year Scudetto wait, Napoli are on the precipice of disaster. Not only are they stranded 42 points adrift of new champions Inter, but it’s a distinct possibility they will not feature in European action next term. To say the situation is chaotic would be an understatement.
It’s a near-certainty Victor Osimhen will flee the sinking ship, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia could follow in the Nigerian’s footsteps should extension talks go sideways.
In terms of atmosphere, Naples is an ideal place for Conte. But he seeks a healthy club and stability.
That’s something Napoli can’t bring to the table. Milan, on the other hand, can. Pioli has built a solid structure at San Siro. Except for Rafael Leao, the rest of Rossoneri’s young but well-knit roster will probably stay put beyond the summer.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic loves Conte
It’s no secret that Ibrahimovic has tried to endorse Conte in recent months. The controlling company, RedBird, has yet to come to terms with the Swede. One of the obstacles is the famous manager’s significant wage demands.
But Ibrahimovic is nothing if not persuasive. Sooner or later, he’ll convince the Milan powerbrokers that Conte is the best option. And truth be told, he is!
His flamboyant nature aside, Conte is a serial winner. He has won titles with every club – except Tottenham – which isn’t a failure, knowing Spurs need a magician, not a coach to take home a piece of silverware.
At this point, Milan need someone like Conte to instill a winning mentality at San Siro and make Rossoneri competitive in the title race again.
Conte wants Milan
If Calciomercato’s latest update is anything to go by, Conte is apparently waiting for Milan to make the first step. He has put negotiations with De Laurentiis on hold, prioritizing the 19-time Serie A champions.
After winning the Scudetto with Inter and Juventus, it’s only natural to assume he can do the same with Milan. He’s aware of the unquestionable potential this squad has and probably knows where to make adjustments in the upcoming transfer window.
Milan will, in all likelihood, operate on a tight budget. That’s unless they sell Leao, which would be suicidal. However, they don’t need to make lucrative purchases to assemble a competitive team. Perhaps two or three new signings in the critical positions would do the trick.
If anyone can pick the proper additions, it’s Conte. And he wants to come on board.
More must-reads: