Antonio Conte wants the speculation turned down. The former Napoli manager used his Instagram story on Friday to deliver a tightly worded clarification about his future, in both Italian and English, as his name continues to be floated in connection with the Manchester United vacancy that may yet open.
“My name has been linked with numerous clubs, but there are currently no negotiations at an advanced stage,” Conte wrote, framing the statement as a correction of recent coverage in Italy and abroad.
He added that any return will come on his terms, not the market’s.
“Following a wonderful and successful spell in charge of Napoli, I will take the time I need to consider how and when to return to management. It will be a carefully considered decision, one I will make when I believe the conditions are right.”
Read also: A United fan of 50 years says Carrick is not the problem. The board is.
United still have a manager, for now
The timing is not an accident. United were beaten 4-1 by Como at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Wednesday 21 October, a Champions League defeat that pushed Michael Carrick’s position back into open debate. Nico Paz scored twice for the Italian hosts in their first season in the competition, with Joshua Zirkzee pulling one back in stoppage time.
Carrick will take charge of United’s Premier League trip to Bournemouth this weekend, with the club yet to make a formal move. Reports place Carrick among the names under internal review, with Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann, Kieran McKenna and Conte on the shortlist most frequently mentioned.
‘Unfounded’ demands
Conte also wanted the ledger clean on what he had and had not asked for. Italian and British outlets had reported that he was already attaching conditions to any potential appointment, both financial and structural, and that some suitors had reservations about his managerial style.
He rejected the premise outright.
Read also: “Haaland has that dream”: Moretto says La Liga is only a matter of time
“I have read reports of financial demands and requests for full control that I have supposedly already made to the clubs mentioned, as well as reservations about what has been described as my ‘strong personality’. These reports are unfounded, as there is currently no concrete basis for such assessments,” the 57-year-old said.
Out of work since Napoli
Conte has been without a club since departing Napoli at the end of the 2025-26 Serie A season, a spell that included the 2024-25 Scudetto. He has previously managed in the Premier League at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, won Serie A at Juventus and Inter, and remains one of the most recognisable names on the European coaching market.
United face Bournemouth on Sunday 25 October.
Read also: Stroll has not scored in 2026. His team boss says that is not the story
