Antonio Conte will not be drawn either publicly or privately on a contract extension with Inter until the summer, according to a report in the Italian media today.
Tuttosport’s print edition said Conte would not want to pronounce himself on the matter until the Nerazzurri had secured the Serie A title.
Conte is out of contract with Inter in 2022 along with directors Beppe Marotta and Piero Ausilio, and it is unlikely he will start next season with only one year left on his deal.
The report suggested Steven Zhang could attempt ‘a remake’ of last year’s summit at Villa Bellini and persuade everyone to extend their contracts for another year (until 2023).
Inter would send a strong sign that Suning’s project was continuing into the future if this happened, TS suggested.
It would also make it clear to Conte’s players that the team would remain competitive going forward, even without big investments in the transfer market.
Conte’s big challenge for next season will be to make progress in Europe, the report argued, after Inter again went out of the UEFA Champions League in the group stage before Christmas.
He will keep the same core of players together and hopes Romelu Lukaku can lead them forward, having confirmed his importance to Inter again this season.