Napoli hires ex Chelsea, Spurs soccer coach Antonio Conte

June 5 (UPI) -- Napoli hired former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte, the Italian Serie A club announced Wednesday.

Napoli signed Conte to a contract that runs until June 30, 2027. The club, which finished 10th in Serie A this season, fired two coaches during the 2023-24 campaign. It first dismissed Rudi Garcia in November and then fired Walter Mazzarri in February.

"Napoli is a place of global importance," Conte said in a news release. "I am happy and excited at the idea of ​​sitting on the blue bench. I can certainly promise one thing: I will do my utmost for the growth of the team and the club. My commitment, together with that of my staff, will be total."

Spurs and Conte split in March of 2023. He led the English Premier League club to a fourth-place finish during his first season in 2021-22. Spurs finished eighth the next season.

Conte, known for using more players than other managers in the midfield and defensive lines of formations, coached Inter Milan from 2019-20 to 2020-21. He led the Italian club to a second-place finish in his first season before claiming a Serie A title during his second campaign.

He also led Chelsea to a Premier League crown in 2016-17 and FA Cup title in 2017-18. Conte also coached the Italian national team after stops at Juventus, Siena, Atalanta, Bari and Arezzo. He claimed three-consecutive Serie A titles to start his Juventus tenure.

Napoli last won Serie A in 2022-23 under former coach Luciano Spalletti. It finished third in 2021-22 and fifth in 2020-21. Spalletti stepped away from the team in March 2023. Italy hired Spalletti as national team manager in August.