Italy national team head coach Antonio Conte has
revealed to La Reppublica that he spurned a
significant offer from the Premier League last year.
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The 45-year-old left Juventus in a surprise move in
July, leaving behind a squad with which he had won
three straight Scudetti and established a Serie A
record for points.
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Max Allegri was immediately brought in by the
Bianconeri to take over for the former midfielder,
while Conte’s future hung in the balance for nearly a
month.
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In mid-August Conte was announced as the
successor to Cesare Prandelli with the Azzurri on a
two-year deal with an eye towards Euro 2016.
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To begin with, the Italian’s departure from Juventus
was something of a mystery. Conte had previously
confirmed he was staying, only to leave the day after
pre-season training began.
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This drew the ire of some sections of the Old Lady’s
support, while it was speculated that his departure
could have been due to disagreements with
management on transfer policy.
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At any rate, Conte made his choice – and publicly
said that he felt deep down it was time to make his
exit from Turin.
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In the background, however, there were goings-on
unrevealed even before the ex-Bianconeri captain
decided to vacate his post in July.
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Conte told La Reppublica on Friday that he had
options on his hands, with a particularly intriguing
offer arriving from the Premier League.
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He said: “Last year I had several offers. There was
one from a very big English team, but as a matter of
respect I never told anyone.
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“I decided to continue with Juventus. That didn’t last
very long, but that’s another story.”
Cruising towards a third straight title with Juventus,
Conte’s stock was at an all-time high near the end of
last season, with the only knock against him a lack of
European success.
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In April The Telegraph reported that the Italian had
been shortlisted for the Manchester United job as
the Red Devils searched for a permanent
replacement for David Moyes.
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Conte looked a natural choice for the role with his
passionate style and relative youth, which could’ve
potentially given him longevity at Old Trafford.
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