Conte eyes PSG job with Pochettino set to be sacked
PSG are aware of Conte’s interest although Zinedine Zidane is viewed as their first choice.
Paris Saint-Germain are finalising the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino and will consider Tottenham Hotspur’s Antonio Conte as a contender to replace him.
Pochettino led PSG to the French title on Saturday but will be dismissed because of his failure in the Champions League.
The club are aware of Conte’s interest in succeeding him, although Zinedine Zidane is viewed as PSG’s first choice.
Pochettino and his staff will be entitled to about £12.5 million in compensation for the final year of his contract.
He missed out on the Manchester United job when Erik ten Hag was appointed at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Conte has one year left on his contract at Tottenham and, should he leave, it would raise the possibility of Pochettino returning to the north London club where he spent five years in charge until 2019, but Newcastle United also have a long-standing interest in the Argentinian.
Tottenham tried to reappoint Pochettino last summer but he was unable to leave PSG and they also had contact with him in the autumn before they appointed Conte as the successor to Nuno Espírito Santo in November.
The possibility of those moves would be greater if PSG cannot hire Zidane, who is understood to be their preferred candidate as they search for a coach who can lead them to a Champions League triumph.
The former France captain coached Real Madrid to three Champions League trophies but it has been suggested that he wants to replace Didier Deschamps as the Les Bleus manager after the World Cup finals in Qatar in November. Zidane has been out of work since he left Real after a second spell in charge in 2021.
Conte, who has won only one Champions League knockout game during his time in management, has thrown his future into doubt in recent months and said that he could leave Tottenham if the club do not match his ambitions for rebuilding the squad.
The Italian has been told that he will be backed in the transfer market this summer. But Conte wants to be sure about Tottenham’s vision to close the gap on the top-four sides and get back into the Champions League.
They trail Arsenal by two points in the Premier League table after their goalless draw with Brentford on Saturday.
In March, Conte pledged his commitment to Tottenham but declined to confirm whether he would be in charge for the rest of the season.
“I have another year of contract but you know very well that football is very strange,” Conte said.
“You can have four years of contract and the club can sack you. Sometimes someone decides to go away. I would like to take satisfaction with this club. But you know that football changes quickly.”
