Conte confirmed his resignation from Napoli on Sunday after two seasons in which he restored the club's standing in Italian football — winning Serie A in his first year and finishing second in his second. The parting was mutual and largely expected. Napoli now begin their own search for a replacement.
Within hours, attention shifted to where Conte goes next. Milan are the answer, at least according to Corriere dello Sport, which reported that the Rossoneri have identified the 56-year-old as the ideal candidate to lead their rebuild following Sunday's catastrophic final day.
AC Milan lost 2-1 at home to Cagliari, surrendering a Champions League place they had held for the majority of the season. The defeat triggered an immediate and sweeping clear-out. Massimiliano Allegri was dismissed alongside chief executive Giorgio Furlani, sporting director Igli Tare and technical director Geoffrey Moncada — all gone within 24 hours of the final whistle.
Into that vacuum steps Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who RedBird Capital have tasked with leading the search for both a new head coach and a new sporting director. The Swede has long been an admirer of Conte, and his influence over the recruitment process makes the former Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan manager a natural fit for the role.
Conte's appeal to Milan goes beyond reputation alone. His track record of immediate impact at clubs in transition is unmatched in Italian football. He won Serie A with Juventus in three consecutive seasons between 2012 and 2014, delivered the title to Inter Milan in 2020-21 after a decade without it, and turned Napoli from eighth-place finishers to champions in a single campaign.
Milan are a club that have now missed the Champions League in consecutive seasons and face Europa League football next term. For Conte, the challenge fits his profile — a fractured squad, a new ownership structure in flux and a fanbase demanding an immediate return to the top of Italian football.
No deal is in place. Ibrahimovic and the RedBird hierarchy must first appoint a sporting director, whose input on the coaching appointment is expected to carry significant weight. Andoni Iraola, who leaves Bournemouth this summer, has also been mentioned in connection with the role.
But the name at the top of the list is Conte's, and he is available.