Antonio Conte linked with a shock move to AC Milan | OneFootball

Napoli head coach Antonio Conte has emerged as a surprise contender for the managerial job at AC Milan.

Tuttosport claims Fabio Paratici wants to bring Conte to the San Siro if he becomes Milan’s sporting director.

The former Juventus chief is one of the leading candidates for the director role at Milan, having held talks with chief executive officer Giorgio Furlani.

Milan’s form has nosedived this season. They are ninth in the Serie A table, six points off the final Champions League spot.

The Italian giants haven’t turned a corner under manager Sergio Conceicao, who replaced Paulo Fonseca in December.

Despite the Italian Super Cup triumph, Conceicao has looked out of depth in Serie A and the Champions League.

Milan suffered a humiliating exit againts Feyenoord in the Champions League play-offs. They have also won just two of their last four league games.

The Italian giants may bring in a new manager this summer if Conceicao fails to secure a top-four spot.

Paratici has handpicked Conte as his preferred choice at Milan, having previously worked with him at Juventus and Tottenham Hotspur.

The duo laid the foundation for Juve’s dominance in the last decade, winning three consecutive Scudettos in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

After a lacklustre 2023/24 campaign, Conte has transformed Napoli into Scudetto contenders this term since taking reigns last summer.

The Partenopei are second in the league table, only three points behind Inter Milan.

Conte’s contract at Diego Maradona Stadium expires in 2027 but he could part ways with Napoli this summer due to a strained relationship with the board.

He was unhappy with the sale of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain in January and the failure to replace him.