Antonio Conte’s love affair with Chelsea appears to be headed towards a bitter ending. Only a season after winning the Premier League with the Blues in emphatic style, the Italian is being linked with a Stamford Bridge exit.
And according to the Sun, his next destination could be none other than his home country. If you thought he will end up in Serie A, think otherwise, as the British tabloid reports that he has been earmarked for the Italian national team’s coaching role.
The Azzurri has been without a tactician since sacking Giampiero Ventura. The 70-year-old was relieved of his duties after the national side failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, forcing the four-time winner to name a list of possible candidates.
While Conte is not the only manager in the running for that job, his experience with the national side could easily work in his favor – he led Italy to the Euro 2016 quarter-final. Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Mancini, the other candidates, could also be offered the position.
There are as many as four or five candidates, but the Chelsea boss has been confirmed as one of them by Italy FA vice-commissioner Alessandro Costacurta. The Azzurri official also revealed that he will travel to London to begin talks for the vacancy.
Antonio is reportedly unhappy at the Blues and this job could be an escape route. The 3-0 loss at home to Bournemouth raised further questions about his future, with the tactician continuing to express his unhappiness with the squad size.
Chelsea faces a fight to finish in the top four. Several names have been tipped to replace Conte in west London, Luis Enrique being the favorite.
