Conte Frontrunner for Italy National Team Coach

Napoli coach Antonio Conte is emerging as the frontrunner to return as head coach of the Italy national team, following the recent resignation of Gennaro Gattuso and amid ongoing turmoil at the Italian Football Federation. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed he would not block Conte from pursuing the role, signaling potential talks as early as the end of the current Serie A season.

The developments come after Italy's national team suffered a 1-0 defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a World Cup playoff final last week, marking the third consecutive failure to qualify for the tournament. Gattuso, who had taken over the Azzurri in recent months, stepped down by mutual consent shortly thereafter. The loss extended a difficult period for the four-time world champions, who last reached the World Cup finals in 2014. Adding to the instability, FIGC president Gabriele Gravina announced his resignation, paving the way for elections on June 22.

Conte, who guided Italy to the quarterfinals of Euro 2016 during his previous stint from 2014 to 2016, has been vocal about his interest. After Napoli's 1-0 victory over AC Milan on Monday, which propelled the club into second place in...