Conte signals desire to revive a fallen giant as Carrick's United endure rocky start

Antonio Conte has publicly outlined his criteria for a managerial return, describing a desire to revive a club that has ‘lost sight of its history’ — a description that fits Manchester United closely, even if the Italian stopped short of naming them directly.

Conte, who left Napoli in the summer after guiding them to the Serie A title in his first season and a second-place finish in his second, has been without a club since. He was linked with the United job following Ruben Amorim’s departure, and his latest comments have done little to dampen that speculation.

“There are many clubs that have somewhat lost sight of their history,” Conte told The Athletic. “I’d like to go to one of these clubs to dust off that history and make it shine once more. Clubs where there’s pressure, where, ultimately, you know full well that you’re not going there just to take part, but to compete.”

He also spoke about the importance of ambition at any club he joins. “If you go to a club where the history speaks for itself — a history made up of trophies, league titles and victories — you can only honour that history in one way: by having the ambition to bring that club back, if it isn’t there today, to fight for those goals.”

United have not won the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season in 2012-13, and while the club has collected two FA Cups, two League Cups and one Europa League in the years since, consistent challenges for the game’s top honours have been absent.

Current head coach Michael Carrick, 45, has United in a difficult position early in the campaign. The club have taken just five points from their opening five Premier League matches and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Brighton after squandering a 2-0 lead. The club has publicly backed Carrick, but pressure is building.

Carrick had shown promise last season, steering United into the Champions League, but this term has been a sterner test. Should results continue to disappoint, Conte’s availability could become increasingly relevant to United’s thinking.

Conte also hinted at an openness to returning to English football, having previously managed Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. “In England today they’re using bazookas, while everywhere else they’re still using a pistol,” he said, adding a note of caution about financial discipline. “We also need to be careful about how the money is spent. You may well have the money, but you have to spend it wisely.”