Antonio Conte ‘is open to replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United’… but the ex-Chelsea and Inter Milan boss has concerns over the way the club is run and ‘would demand TOTAL say on new signings’
- Antonio Conte is reportedly willing to consider becoming Man United manager
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finds himself under huge pressure after Liverpool mauling
- The former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss would want some assurances first
Ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is willing to consider becoming Manchester United manager should Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lose his job but the Italian would want some assurances first, according to reports.
Solskjaer finds himself under immense pressure after a series of poor results in recent weeks which culminated in a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday.
Conte, who has been out of work since leaving Inter Milan in May, has been linked with the United hotseat and is open to the idea of taking charge should the opportunity arise, according to The Manchester Evening News.
Antonio Conte (L) open to becoming Man United boss should Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lose his job
Conte has some concerns about way club is run and would demand total control over transfers. United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward (above) is set to leave this year
The report claims, however, that the 52-year-old has some concerns about the way the club is run and would demand total control over transfers.
United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward resigned following huge backlash over the controversial European Super League project and is set to depart from the role at the end of the year, but the specific date and his replacement remain unclear.
Conte, who won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2017, quit Serie A giants Inter just days after guiding them to the league title and was said to have grown frustrated by the club’s lack of financial resources.
Solskjaer finds himself under immense pressure after a series of poor results in recent weeks
United’s hierarchy backed Solskjaer in the summer transfer window, bringing in £73million Jadon Sancho, centre back Raphael Varane for £41m and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo for just under £20m.
However, former United defender Gary Neville has urged his old club not to hire Conte because he is ‘not the right fit’.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville said: ‘They won’t bring a hitman in again. A hitman who comes in and does a job for two years.
‘Conte’s available but I wouldn’t bring him to Manchester United. I wouldn’t bring him here now, I wouldn’t.
‘I don’t think Antonio Conte is a fit for Manchester United. I don’t think he’s a fit.
‘I might be wrong, they might bring him here tomorrow and I’d get behind him.
‘We’ve seen a coach with a specific style like Louis Van Gaal didn’t work here. I’m not saying there isn’t a manager who can come to Manchester United and do well.’
The below-par form culminated in a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of bitter rivals Liverpool
Solskjaer is now the shortest odds he’s ever been to head out of the United exit door and the overwhelming bookmakers’ favourite to be the next Premier League manager to be sacked.
The Norwegian boss has moved into the 1/5 favourite with Betfair to be given his marching orders next.
United were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton at the start of the month and then were beaten 4-2 by Leicester last weekend.
Solskjaer’s side then found themselves trailing 2-0 at half-time to Atalanta in the their Champions League group clash in midweek, although they turned things around and came back to win 3-2 in the second half.
But United were annihilated by Jurgen Klopp’s side at home on Sunday to mount the pressure on Solskjaer. The Red Devils are down in seventh place after four wins from nine and face sixth-placed Tottenham next.
