In a post on his Instagram stories, Antonio Conte said no negotiation with any club had reached an advanced stage, despite links to Manchester United and Juventus.
Conte called reports of financial demands and requests for full control unfounded, and said doubts about his 'strong character' had no concrete basis.
English reports say Manchester United would dismiss Michael Carrick if they fail to beat Bournemouth at 17:30 on Sunday 25 October, and would then pursue Conte.
Antonio Conte has moved to cool speculation about a return to the dugout, saying in a post on his Instagram stories that no negotiation with any club has reached an advanced stage. The message was also published in English and followed several days of reports linking him to vacancies, most prominently at Manchester United and Juventus. Conte said his name had been connected with numerous clubs, but that no deal was close with any of them.
“My name has been linked to numerous clubs, but at the moment there is no negotiation at an advanced stage.”
He added that he would take the time he needed to decide how and when to get back to coaching, and that he would make that choice only once he judged the conditions to be right.
Italian and foreign coverage had attributed a range of demands to him, including financial requests, a push for full authority over a club and doubts among some clubs about his 'strong character'. Conte called those accounts unfounded, saying there were no concrete elements on which such judgments could rest. He said that any assumption about his demands or his professional future would remain speculation until a real offer arrived.
“Should a concrete opportunity arise, that will be the moment to talk with the club concerned and weigh the terms of a possible agreement.”
Reports from England, cited in Italian coverage, said Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick could be dismissed if the team failed to win its match against Bournemouth at 17:30 on Sunday 25 October, with the club then pursuing Conte hard. Juventus were linked with Conte in the event of a separation from Luciano Spalletti. Italian reporting also said Manchester United had been seen as the front-runner until shortly before Conte's post, when reports about his conditions led the club to look at other candidates. Conte's statement disputes those accounts as well.
Conte, who is 57, previously managed Chelsea and Tottenham. He led Napoli to the Scudetto in 2025 but left at the end of last season, after the club finished second behind Inter. His statement leaves the timing of any return open: he will decide only once he believes the conditions are right, and talks with any club would begin only after a concrete opportunity emerges.
Pollar is free and carries no ads in the text. Its members keep it going.
Support PollarFootball · Manchester and Turin
Antonio Conte says no club negotiation has reached an advanced stage and calls reports of his financial demands and requests for full control unfounded.
AI text based on reports by Rai news, ANSA.it, Il Fatto Quotidiano and other publishers. Published .