Antonio Conte won’t speak to the media again until he has clarified his future with Steven Zhang, according to a report in the Italian media today.
As per Corriere dello Sport’s print edition, Inter’s head coach is likely to meet his president at the end of the season after the final match at home to Udinese.
Conte needs to understand what Inter’s prospects are heading forward before he can make a decision on staying for next season.
He is unlikely to accept the idea of fighting for just UEFA Champions League qualification, having just won the Serie A title, and his concerns could be shared by Beppe Marotta and Piero Ausilio.
Conte, Marotta and Ausilio could even choose to end their cycle at Inter together before it has properly begun, which the Rome-based paper warned would give the Nerazzurri a real problem.
In the meantime, Conte will only speak to Inter TV about on-pitch matters ahead of tomorrow’s Derby d’Italia at Juventus.
Elsewhere, Inter’s players have rejected the idea of taking wage cuts and giving up their scudetto bonuses after a proposal from Zhang earlier this week.
The Nerazzurri’s squad is also unlikely to accept the idea of deferring two monthly installments into next season, with several players set to leave the club in the summer.