Antonio Conte is the new head coach of Napoli.
The former Juventus, Chelsea, Inter and Tottenham Hotspur manager has agreed a three-year contract with the Serie A outfit.
The 54-year-old will join Napoli this summer, taking over from Francesco Calzona, who became temporary head coach for the remainder of the season following the sacking of Walter Mazzarri in February.
Advertisement
Mazzarri had only been appointed in November to replace Rudi Garcia, but the coaching changes were unable to change the fortunes of the 2022-23 Serie A champions, who endured a hugely disappointing title defence.
Napoli finished tenth in Serie A and 41 points behind Inter, who won this season’s title.
Un nuovo capitolo della nostra Storia inizia oggi.
Benvenuto Mister Conte! 💙Leggi la news 👉 https://t.co/e0FNt4l6Aw
#ConTe #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/gBTBhyZTwd— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) June 5, 2024
In 2023, Napoli won their first league title in 33 years but head coach Luciano Spalletti — now head coach of the Italy national team — parted ways with the club that summer, with Conte the fourth head coach since.
“I can certainly promise one thing: I will do my utmost for the growth of the team and the club,” Conte said following the announcement.
“My commitment, along with that of my staff, will be total.”
Conte has been without a job since leaving Tottenham in explosive fashion in March 2023. He effectively made his position untenable, branding his players “selfish” in an astonishing rant following a 3-3 draw with Southampton.
Before his venture in north London, Conte had won league titles with Juventus, Chelsea and Inter.
Conte won the Supercoppa Italia twice with Juventus in 2012 and 2013, as well as an FA Cup with Chelsea in 2017-18.
He also had a spell in charge of the Italian national team between 2014 and 2016.
GO DEEPER
A year on from Conte's infamous outburst, Spurs look anything but unmanageable
Conte must oversee big Napoli rebuild
Analysis from The Athletic’s Italian football correspondent James Horncastle
Conte is a man of the south. He hails from Lecce and the idea of leading one of the southern clubs to the league title has always captured the imagination.
Napoli are only a year removed from winning the league but a big rebuild is necessary after the worst title defence in Serie A history.
Advertisement
Piotr Zielinski is leaving as a free agent, the agent of captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo is agitating and Victor Osimhen wants a move. The Nigerian’s prospective sale should finance the retooling of the team to suit Conte’s methods.
It remains to be seen if he has used the last year to update his game model. Conte has taken a pay-cut in order to return to management. His stated ambition to take on a club capable of winning the Champions League must have been revised.
Napoli have never gone further than the quarter-finals and failed to qualify for Europe altogether this season. At least he will have a full week to drill his players at the training ground as was the case when he won titles in his first seasons at Juventus and Chelsea.
(Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images)