Antonio Conte has warned incoming Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag of the huge pressure he will be forced to contend with after the confirmation of his appointment.
The 52-year-old will begin his rebuilding job in the summer after signing a contract that will take him through until 2025, with the option of extending it for another 12 months.
Ten Hag will inherit a fractured dressing room and a team that looks set to miss out on Champions League qualification after a poor run of results under interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
Conte was among the leading contenders to take over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after the Norwegian coach was sacked in November, but United chose to give Rangnick the job on a temporary basis.
The former Chelsea manager has since turned Tottenham’s season around, while United’s campaign has descended into farce with a 4-0 defeat at Liverpool the latest humiliation.
‘For sure we are talking about a big club, an important club,’ said Conte when asked for his immediate reaction to Ten Hag’s appointment.
‘Don’t forget that last season United were in second place and improve the squad with Varane, Sancho and Ronaldo.
‘It’s strange but they’ve improved the squad and have done worse than last season. It shows it’s not easy, particularly in England.
‘In England it’s a big job for every manager, the level is so high. When you’re at Manchester United the pressure is massive. ‘You have to fight to win trophies. It’s not easy because other teams have the same idea.’
Ten Hag, meanwhile, will focus his efforts on guiding Ajax to the Eredivisie title over the course of the next couple of weeks before he officially starts work at United.
In a message to the club’s fans on Thursday, he said: ‘It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead.
‘I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve.
‘It will be difficult to leave Ajax after these incredible years, and I can assure our fans of my complete commitment and focus on bringing this season to a successful conclusion before I move to Manchester United.’
