LONDON (AFP) - Tottenham on Tuesday appointed former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte as their new manager following the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo after an ill-fated four-month reign.
Spurs moved quickly to hire the Italian, who has signed a contract until the “summer of 2023” after on Monday firing ex-Wolves boss Nuno, who was in charge for just 17 games.
Conte, who has also coached Juventus and Italy, won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2016/17 and the FA Cup the following year before he was sacked by the Stamford Bridge club.
The 52-year-old had been out of work since leaving Inter at the end of last season just weeks after winning the Serie A title -- his fourth Italian league triumph as a manager.
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Antonio Conte as our head coach on a contract until the summer of 2023, with an option to extend,” Spurs said in a statement.
“Antonio has won titles in Serie A, including a hat-trick of Scudettos with Juventus, the Premier League and also managed Italy, leading the Azzurri to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.”
Conte had been in advanced talks with Spurs in June about becoming Jose Mourinho’s successor but they broke down after the two parties were at odds over key issues.
However, director of football Fabio Paratici is now in position at Tottenham and has a strong relationship with Conte, having worked with him at Juventus.
“I am extremely happy to return to coaching, and to do so at a Premier League club that has the ambition to be a protagonist again,” said Conte.
“Tottenham Hotspur has state-of-the-art facilities and one of the best stadiums in the world.
“I can’t wait to start working to convey to the team and the fans the passion, mentality and determination that have always distinguished me, as a player and as a coach.”