Tottenham Hotspur have officially announced Antonio Conte’s arrival and the Italian coach revealed why he snubbed the Lilywhites when they approached him over the summer.
The Lilywhites have convinced the former Inter and Juventus coach to return to the Premier League, where he has signed a deal until June 2023 with the North London club.
Conte spent two seasons at Chelsea between 2016 and 2018, when he picked up the league title and an FA Cup during his time with the Blues.
The 52-year-old said he’s ‘happy’ to be back in England and looks forward to working in the ‘state-of-the-art facilites’.
“I’m extremely happy to return to coaching,” Conte told the club’s official website after being unveiled as the new coach at Spurs.
“And to do so at a Premier League club that has the ambition to be a protagonist again. Tottenham Hotspur has state-of-the-art facilities and one of the best stadiums in the world.
“I can’t wait to start working to convey to the team and the fans the passion, mentality and determination that have always distinguished me, as a player and as a coach.”
Spurs tried to convince the former Inter coach to join them after he left Inter, where he picked up the Scudetto in 2020-21.
Conte explained why he snubbed the Lilywhites when they first approached him over the summer.
“Last summer our union didn’t happen because the end of my relationship with Inter was still too recent and emotionally too involved with the end of the season, so I felt that it wasn’t yet the right time to return to coaching.
“But the contagious enthusiasm and determination of Daniel Levy in wanting to entrust me with this task had already hit the mark.
“Now that the opportunity has returned, I have chosen to take it with great conviction.”
The explanation makes me laugh out loud…..
Levy’s promise? imo, it just like the chinese one…….
Explanation is simple: money. He took 7m from Inter like this, instead of just walking over.
Ya…OK…Conte…it had nothing to do with a sweeter offer…whatever you say.