Conte makes Man United demand as talks continue after 4-1 defeat to Como
NAPLES, ITALY - MARCH 14: Antonio Conte SSC Napoli head coach before the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and US Lecce at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on March 14, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
La Repubblica reports that talks between Antonio Conte and Manchester United representatives continued after a 4-1 loss to Como on Wednesday, with the Italian tactician making clear requests to the Red Devils, including ‘carte blanche’ in the transfer market.
Conte is one of the leading candidates for the Manchester United job should Michael Carrick be sacked in the coming days.
The Red Devils suffered a 4-1 Champions League loss away at Como on Wednesday, putting further pressure on the ex-England international.
Repubblica reports that informal talks between Conte and Manchester United representatives continued after last night’s game against Como, with the Italian tactician making clear requests to club directors.
According to the report, Conte wants to choose his staff members but, more importantly, have full decision-making power in the transfer market.
Conte ‘wants carte blanche in the transfer market and to be allowed to choose the staff members who will join him for his new challenge,’ the Italian newspaper wrote.
Conte’s request isn’t a huge surprise, especially after his latest interview with The Athletic, which Football Italia examined here.
Conte is currently without a club after leaving Napoli last summer. He’s also been linked with a return to Juventus, another European footballing giant, but Bianconeri directors are not currently considering replacing Luciano Spalletti.
According to Repubblica, Manchester United directors are now assessing Conte’s demands before potentially starting an actual negotiation with the ex-Chelsea and Tottenham coach.
According to UK reports, two more candidates are in the running for the Manchester United job. The first one is Julian Nagelsmann, who, according to the Telegraph, is open to replacing Carrick mid-season. The other is Fabian Hürzeler, though TalkSPORT claims the German is uninterested in leaving Brighton for Old Trafford at this stage of the campaign.
Conte, meanwhile, is open to signing for a new club. In his latest interview with The Athletic, he said: “There are many clubs that have somewhat lost sight of their history. 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.”
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