Looking for Soccer News?
Conte to leave Inter as club owners plan economic downsizing
The 51-year-old leaves the Nerazzurri after ending a decade of dominance by Juventus, claiming the Scudetto in only his second year at the helm
Antonio Conte will leave Inter after guiding the Milan outfit to the Serie A crown, bringing the curtain down on a two-year stay at San Siro.
The 51-year-old, previously a Scudetto winner with Juventus as well as a Premier League champion with Chelsea, led the Nerazzurri to a first top-flight title for over a decade in his sophomore season at the helm.
Yet even as the club has marched towards the trophy, friction between the manager and the club's hierarchy have grown more readily noticeable over the future direction of the team, resulting in Conte's exit mere days after adding another honour to his repertoire.
Why has Conte left?
Even before the title was assured, Inter's majority owners Suning Holdings Group and club chairman Steven Zhang had alluded to a financial overhaul in the Nerazzurri's operations.
Conte was believed to have been adamant about ensuring the nucleus of his squad remained unchanged, with deals for players such as Romelu Lukaku an essential priority.
However, management above him refused to offer such assurances, leading to several no-shows for media conferences from the coach, with assistant Cristian Stellini often deputising for post-match duties.
What will Inter do next?
Simone Inzaghi and Massimiliano Allegri are just some of the names mooted as Conte's potential replacement, but wth Euro 2020 likely to dominate the off-season for several key players, the club may choose to wait before appointing a successor.
The former has been tipped to leave Lazio and make the move to Milan, while the latter has been out of management since he stood down at Juventus.
Conte meanwhile is expected to be handed a payout of €6.5million (£5.6m/$7.9m) to cover the remainder of his contract.
