NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 10: In this handout photo provided by the NYSE Euronext, Manchester United Executives Joel Glazer (2nd L) and Avram Glazer (C) and Ed Woodward prepare to ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange on August 10, 2012 in New York City. Manchester United shares started trading at USD 14.05 at the opening of the New York Stock Exchange. (Photo Dario Cantatore/Getty Images via NYSE Euronext)
Chelsea reportedly delivered a damming verdict about Antonio Conte that made Manchester United avoid employing him.
According to The Athletic, United weren’t convinced by the Italian due the feedback received from those working at Stamford Bridge.
Antonio a no-go
Conte was certainly one of the front runners to takeover the Old Trafford hotseat, once the rumblings about Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s job began not long into the current campaign.
However, by the time Solskjaer was sacked toward the end of November, his potential successor had already been snapped up by another side.
Tottenham Hotspur named the former Chelsea boss as their new leader, following the dismissal of Nuno Espirito Santo.
Spurs were eighth in the table when Conte walked through the door, aware of the task at hand but also of the team’s potential.
27 days later, United confirmed Ralf Rangnick as the interim manager, a possible pitstop between a more permanent solution.
One of the long-haul alternatives was Conte, before Tottenham teased him back to London.
However, The Athletic claim that the 52-year-old had told friends the month before returning to the capital that he would love sit in the Red Devils main dugout.
What did Chelsea have to say about Conte?
Whilst a few probably still supported the notion of him replacing Solskjaer, others were seemingly less enthaustic.
The Athletic state that a some at United feared Conte would turn out to be a mirror image of Jose Mourinho, due to words of advice from their friends at Chelsea.
They apparently warned that if they found Mourinho difficult, Conte would be even more troublesome.
Of course, few a better placed to give an opinion on the present Spurs coach than the Blues themselves.
He won the Premier League in his first season at the helm and claimed the FA Cup before making way for Maurizio Sarri in 2018.
His fall from the highest perch was due to a breakdown in communication with the board and an alienation of certain players, among other factors.
Perhaps United were right to take Chelsea’s suggestion on this one.
After all, it helped us beat Tottenham three times in the space of three weeks!
