Former Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte has been lined up as Mikel Arteta’s replacement if the Spaniard faces the Arsenal axe.
The Gunners head coach has come under huge pressure as his team have started the Premier League with two defeats out of two matches, with no goals scored.
The Telegraph claims that Arsenal will give Arteta until October to prove he is the right man. And if he isn’t, Conte is their preferred choice. The Italian is out of work after leaving Inter in the summer after a historic title win.
Conte was in talks with Tottenham to become Jose Mourinho’s successor but chose to knock back their offer for a couple of reasons as he made it clear what he is looking for in his next role.
He was worried that Tottenham’s long-term goals did not align with his as he wants to manage a team with the potential of winning silverware.
He doesn’t necessarily want to join a club that are contending for titles straight away, but with scope to become one. Conte, at least, wants to be joining a top-four side.
Conte was also anxious about the fact that Tottenham squad were in need of major change as they enter a transitional period.
Harry Kane’s uncertain future was also a sticking point for him as he didn’t want to inherit a team that could lose their best player as that would take them in the wrong direction.
Conte revealed his reasons for rejecting Spurs with Gazzetta dello Sport: “I look for the projects instead and I am ready to stay at home if something is not convincing me
“It has to do with vision, honesty and principles. Generally, I like challenges and I’ve accepted many of them during my career.
“Even the top clubs I coached were never the favourites when I arrived. “However, if there’s something that doesn’t convince me I prefer not to accept, regardless of the money.”
Conte has expressed his desire to manage a club outside Italy once again. He added: “I would like to have more experiences abroad. I think that I am not someone who is happy with just a comfortable situation. I always chose the most difficult situation instead.
“As a player, I won everything it was possible to win, but I also lost a great deal.
“When you lose, it leaves within you the desire not to experience that again, so you do everything to transmit that to your players when you are a head coach. It all comes from your scars and wanting to avoid getting more.”
