Antonio Conte has hinted he could be interested in the Manchester United job, saying he wants to resurrect a fallen giant as he plots his return to the dugout. The former Napoli boss is out of work after leaving the Italian club during the summer and was linked with a move to United following Ruben Amorim's departure.
Conte's ambition to restore a fallen giant
Conte guided Napoli to the Serie A title in his first season in charge before finishing second last season. In an interview with the Athletic, he 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'. You only make history by winning."
"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. Clubs where there's pressure, where, ultimately, you know full well that you're not going there just to take part, but to compete."
Pressure on Carrick after slow start
While Conte does not name Manchester United, those parameters would apply to the Reds, given their fall from grace in recent seasons. United have taken just five points from their opening five Premier League games and were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton in disappointing fashion, despite leading 2-0.
Although United have made it clear there are no plans to part ways with Michael Carrick, pressure is starting to build on the 45-year-old's shoulders after the slow start, though the club are behind the current head coach. Carrick appeared to have United back on track after guiding the Reds into the Champions League last season, but it has been a season of struggle so far.
United have not won the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson's last season at the club in 2012-13, winning two FA Cups, two League Cups, and one Europa League, but have rarely challenged for the top honours, such as the Champions League. Further struggle could hand Conte an opportunity to return to the Premier League.
Conte open to England return
Conte also hinted he would be open to another stint in English football after spells with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. Speaking about English football in general, he said: "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."
