Manchester United's reported decision to overlook Antonio Conte for the manager's job in 2021 was based on concerns over his coaching style and a perceived lack of leaders in the squad, issues that remain pertinent after a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como.
The 57-year-old Italian is currently out of work after leaving Napoli at the end of last season and has hinted he would be open to taking the role at Old Trafford. Conte's comments to The Athletic have been widely interpreted as a come-and-get-me plea, with the former Chelsea boss stating: "There are many clubs that have somewhat lost sight of their history. I'd like to go to one of these clubs to dust off that history and make it shine once more."
Pressure Mounts on Carrick
United were rocked by the heavy defeat to Como, intensifying pressure on manager Michael Carrick, who is expected to lead the team against Bournemouth on Sunday. The Red Devils are without a win in seven matches, fuelling speculation about potential successors.
Conte, who won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2017 and Serie A with Napoli in 2025, added: "Clubs where there's pressure, where, ultimately, you know full well that you're not going there just to take part, but to compete."
2021 Rejection Reasons Resurface
The Daily Mail previously reported that United considered approaching Conte shortly before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's departure in November 2021. However, the club decided against targeting him, believing the squad would not respond well to his micro-managing style.
Conte's attention to detail and demand for immediate execution of instructions were considered ill-suited to United's squad at the time. There was also concern that the team lacked leaders, which would make adapting to his methods challenging. Conte was out of work after leaving Inter Milan in 2021, where he had won Serie A, and was appointed Tottenham Hotspur boss that November. Solskjaer left United later that month, with Ralf Rangnick arriving as interim manager.
Leadership Concerns Persist
Five years on, United displayed a stark lack of leadership in their 4-1 loss to Como, and Conte has again been linked with the job. While Carrick is set to take charge against Bournemouth, United would fit the criteria Conte has outlined for his next challenge.
Speaking to The Athletic, Conte said: "If you go to a club where the history speaks for itself — a history made up of trophies, league titles and victories — you can only honour that history in one way: by having the ambition to bring that club back — if it isn't there today — to fight for those goals. I know full well that only one team can win every year, but I must carry in my heart — and instil in the hearts of the fans, my players and my directors — that spark, that hope that makes you say, 'F***, we can win'."
On England, he added: "In England today they're using bazookas, while everywhere else they're still using a pistol. But we also need to be careful about how the money is spent. That's why we were talking earlier about making the right assessments, about having a vision, because you may well have the money, but you have to spend it wisely."
Former United star Ashley Young, who played under Conte at Inter, has warned he may not fit at Old Trafford. Young said on The Overlap Daily: "I think that's one of the reasons why he doesn't last long at places because not just the players, he tries to test mentally, but the board as well and the owners. There has been a lot of talk about Man United's running stats. If they're not going to run and Antonio Conte goes in there, it's going to be a disaster."
