Italian FA confirm interest in Chelsea boss Antonio Conte for national job

ANTONIO CONTE will be formally approached to leave Chelsea and return to his old job as Italy national team boss.

Posted Wednesday, February 28, 2018 by Dailystar.co.uk

Italian FA confirm interest in Chelsea boss Antonio Conte for national job
Antonio Conte has been linked with the Italy national job

Starsport first revealed that Conte will be offered the chance to make a quick return to coaching with his country if he is sacked by the Blues.

And former Italy great Alessandro Costacurta, who works for the Italian FA, confirmed that he will seek talks with the 48-year-old.

Costacurta said: "I haven't chosen yet but I think Conte is the one who could do the best. I'll definitely talk with him in a couple of months."

Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and are also considering Carlo Ancelotti, Claudio Ranieri and Roberto Mancini for the post.

Costacurta added: "Conte has already shown he knows how to be national team coach while the others haven't yet.

"That doesn't mean I wouldn't be happy with Mancini or with Ancelotti - although he seems to have removed himself from consideration.

"Or the same with Ranieri, who had a difficult experience with Greece but came out stronger and went to Leicester."

Conte remains under pressure at Stamford Bridge with the club lining up former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique to replace him.

The Italian has 18 months left on his contract but is widely tipped to leave in the summer and could even be axed before then if results dip.

Italian FA confirm interest in Chelsea boss Antonio Conte for national job
Alessandro Costacurta confirmed he will hold talks with Conte

Conte is under pressure at Chelsea

Defeat to Manchester United on Sunday left Chelsea in fifth place in the Premier League and they are not favourites to get past Barcelona in the Champions League after drawing the first leg 1-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Conte guided Italy to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 before moving to Chelsea, where he won the Premier League in his first season in charge.

But if he were to leave he is understood to favour staying in club football rather than returning to his old role after the sacking of Italy boss Giampiero Ventura in November.