Napoli appoint Antonio Conte as manager after disappointing season

Napoli have hired Antonio Conte as their new manager on a three-year contract, the Serie A club announced on Wednesday.

"I'm so proud that Antonio Conte is Napoli's new coach," Napoli's president Aurelio De Laurentiis said in a statement. "Antonio is a top coach and a leader, so I'm convinced that we'll be able to rebuild the foundations in the way that we need to following the conclusion of the cycle that led us to Scudetto glory last year after many years at the top of Italian football. An important, new chapter in Napoli's history gets under way today."

Conte hasn't managed any team since he parted ways with Tottenham Hotspur in late March 2023. Before the club in North London, he led Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan to win four Serie A titles and one Premier League. He was also a four-time Serie A Coach of the Year.

Napoli had a very disappointing 2023-24 campaign as the reigning champions. They won only 13 of their 38 games and lost 11 of them, ranking in the 10th place on the table. As a result, Napoli will not be participating in UEFA competitions next season.

Before Napoli can make any signings, they may need to be ready for possible departure of their ace striker Victor Osimhen. He recorded 17 goals and four assists for the club last season.

According to Yahoo Sports, Conte may want Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea as a replacement for Osimhen. Conte worked with Lukaku at Inter and they won the Serie A championship in the 2020-21 season.

"Napoli is a place of global importance," Conte said. "I am happy and excited at the idea of sitting on [their] bench. I can certainly promise one thing: I will do my utmost for the growth of the team and the club. My commitment, together with that of my staff, it will be total."