Former Chelsea manager to become Italy manager

Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte may soon return to the pitch but this time not with a football club.

This comes as a report via Sky Italia revealed Conte could emerge as Italy’s next manager.

The post became vacant after Roberto Mancini resigned last weekend.

With the look of things, Conte could be available to return to the national team bench but must fit in with the FIGC’s salary limit of £4.3m (€5m) a year.

Aside from Conte, another leading candidate on the target list is Luciano Spalletti, but he is still contracted to Napoli despite being granted a year-long sabbatical following their Serie A title win.

Any team that wants to sign Spalletti must be ready to pay £2.8m (€3.25m) to release him from his contract.

The FIGC, however, are not willing to pay the clause but may attempt to negotiate the release of Spalletti from his contract with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis.