ANTONIO CONTE declared that he wants to join a club that has “lost sight of its history” amid Manchester United links.
Red Devils boss Michael Carrick is already under fire following an underwhelming start to the season.
United entered the extended international break 12th in the table after drawing 1-1 at winless Fulham.
Carrick’s men have also looked poor in games against Hull, Manchester City and Brighton so far this season.
Conte, 57, is out of work after leaving Napoli at the end of last season.
The Italian won the Premier League with Chelsea in the 2016-17 campaign, in addition to being the only manager since Mauricio Pochettino to guide Tottenham into the top four.
Speaking to The Athletic, Conte outlined his burning desire to win – as well as revealing what he’s looking for in his next project.
He said: “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.
“I know full well that only one team can win every year, but I must carry in my heart — and instil in the hearts of the fans, my players and my directors — that spark, that hope that makes you say, ‘F***, we can win’.
“Even that one per cent — but it must be a one per cent that can become 70, 80 or even 100 per cent. It depends on how you convey it.
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“The manager is important, because he conveys that message, day in, day out.
“He has daily interactions with everyone: with his staff, the masseur, the kit man, the physiotherapist, the groundsman — all people who need to be involved and feel part of the drive to make history, and you only make history by winning.
“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.”
Man Utd have won a joint-record 20 league titles, but are on a 13-year drought since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013.
In that period alone, Conte has won leagues with Juventus, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Napoli.
Carrick, 45, took over as United’s interim boss in January following Ruben Amorim‘s departure and guided his team to a third place finish.
This led to him landing the job on a permanent basis.
United return to action this Saturday as they host another of Conte’s former clubs Spurs.
On his time with the North Londoners, Conte added: “I remember we weren’t winning or we’d drawn a game and I sent Daniel Levy a message.
“He came back to me, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll win the next one’.
“‘What the…?’ I kept saying to him, ‘Look!’”
