Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has opened the door for manager Antonio Conte to potentially leave for the Italian national team.
With the Italian team having recently failed to qualify for the upcoming World Cup for the third consecutive time, many speculate that Conte is considering a return to national duties.
Following a league victory over AC Milan, Conte remarked: “Let’s not forget that in the final months of last season, the media were talking about my move to Juventus.”
The seasoned manager acknowledged the media narrative surrounding his name: “If I were the president of the federation, I would put my name among the candidates for several reasons.”
Conte guided Italy from 2014 to 2016, leading them through Euro 2016, where they were narrowly eliminated by Germany on penalties in the quarter-finals.
Is Conte Set for the Azzurri Comeback?
De Laurentiis has clarified that he will not obstruct Conte if he wishes to transition back to the national side, contingent on Napoli’s stability: “If Conte asked me to allow him to return to the national team, I think I would agree.”
He elaborated: “But as he is very intelligent, and as long as there is no serious suitor—which has not happened so far—I don’t think he would imagine himself at the helm of a completely disorganised entity.”
The departure of Gennaro Gattuso as Azzurri boss following Italy’s World Cup qualifying failure has left the position open, with Conte reportedly eyeing the role once the current season concludes.
Other candidates such as Massimiliano Allegri and Roberto Mancini have also been linked to the vacant position, but Conte remains a strong frontrunner as the federation seeks an experienced leader for the team.
