‘Excited’ ex-Tottenham and Chelsea manager lands Napoli job

Former Tottenham and Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has said he is “happy and excited” after signing a three-year contract with Napoli, ending an absence from football of more than 14 months following the Italian’s departure from Spurs.

The 54-year-old has returned to management in his homeland for the first time since May 2021, when he left Inter Milan after winning the Serie A title at the end of his two-year reign.

“Napoli is a club of huge importance on the international stage,” said Conte. “I’m happy and excited by the idea of taking my seat in the Napoli dugout.

“I can certainly promise one thing: I’ll give my all to develop the team and the club. I’m fully committed to the task at hand, as are my staff.”

Conte had managed exclusively in Italy for 10 years, including a spell as head coach of the national team between 2014 and 2016, until he moved to Chelsea for the 2016/17 season.

Chelsea won the Premier League with a game to spare in Conte’s first campaign and the FA Cup in his second but the former Italy boss was sacked following a fifth-placed finish in 2017/18.

A three-time Italian champion as Juventus coach between 2011 and 2014, he was appointed by Inter in 2019 and guided the club to the Uefa Europa League final in his first season in charge.

Following that title triumph with Inter, Conte took over at Tottenham and earned Spurs a place in the Champions League for the first time since 2019/20, but left at the end of an increasingly fractious second campaign, including public criticism of his players.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said he was “so proud” at Conte’s arrival. Champions in 2022/23, The Blues slumped to 10th in 2023/24.

“Antonio is a top coach and a leader, so I’m convinced that we’ll be able to rebuild the foundations in the way that we need to. An important new chapter in Napoli’s history gets under way today.”

De Laurentiis said the “cycle” that had taken Napoli to the title had “concluded”, with Conte expected to revive the three-time champions.

Napoli’s squad includes star striker and reigning African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen and Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who produced the most assists and the goal of the season in Italy in 2022/23.