Former Juventus manager Antonio Conte has revealed that he turned down a massive contract offer from Saudi Arabia.
Conte expressed that he regretted departing Juventus, but he would relish the chance at managing two Italian clubs if they come for his services.
Antonio Conte was dismissed by Tottenham Hotspur on March 26, 2023, due to his uncanny statement in a presser, after Spurs 3-3 draw with Southampton on March 18, 2023.
The 54-year-old has since been without a managerial job, despite reports linking him with a possible return to Italy.
In recent weeks, Conte has been linked with the managerial job at Napoli, due to the Neapolitans’ poor start to the 2023/24 season.
Napoli are defending champions of the Italian Serie A, but they haven’t been able to get their rhythm this season.
This has resulted in calls for manager Rudi Garcia to be ousted, and he is also gradually losing the backing of the club, amid his now-resolved feud with star striker Victor Osimhen.
Antonio Conte last managed Inter Milan in the Serie A, and he led the club to the league title in the 2020/21 season.
He has also previously been the manager of several notable Italian clubs, including; Atalanta, Juventus, and Siena.
Antonio Conte regrets leaving Juventus
Speaking in an interview with Rai TV program Belve, Conte revealed, “I regretted leaving Juventus after just three years.”
The Italian tactician also shared his reason for leaving the club: “I saw big problems in small things, so I decided to go.”
The 54-year-old also made it known that he would love to manage either AS Roma or SSC Napoli.
Antonio Conte said: “I’d like to try an experience in Roma or Napoli one day, but I usually prefer to join at the end of the season…”
The former Italy gaffer also established that he received offers from Saudi Arabia but he rejected their advances.
The 54-year-old said: “I don’t want to discuss this, but Saudi Arabia had made offers to Mancini and other coaches, including myself, but I refused it.”
Saudi Arabia are currently undergoing a football revolution, which has seen them sign some of the biggest names in football.
They have signed many star players, including; Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Saudi Arabia are also expanding their tentacles to a managerial level, signing some star names in the European continent.
Managers like Steven Gerrard, Nuno Espirito, and Roberto Mancini are all based in the Gulf country.
Meanwhile, Conte is focused on returning to Italy and he has emphasized that he would prefer to join a club at the end of the season.
In Italy, he has won 4 Serie A titles as manager, 2 Supercoppa Italiana, and 1 Serie B.
Antonio Conte has also won many individual honours including; 1 Premier League Manager of the Season award, 4 Serie A Coach of the Year, and 1 Globe Soccer Award for the Best Coach of the Year.
