Antonio Conte has left Inter Milan "by mutual consent" just weeks after claiming the Serie A title. The 51-year-old joined the Serie A Club in May '19 and guided them to the Europa League final last year, before capturing the club's "first Serie A triumph in 11 years" this season, "stopping Juventus’ run of nine successive titles" (THE ATHLETIC, 5/26). Conte is receiving a payout of €7M ($8.5M). He had one year remaining on a contract with a €13M ($15.8M) salary, but "concluded his ambitions were at odds with Inter’s plans," with the club preparing to sell about €80M ($97.5M) of players this summer "because of the state of their finances" (London GUARDIAN, 5/26).
Conte's assistant, Cristian Stellini, said after the team won its final game of the season on Sunday, "We are enthusiastic about continuing but when you have a top coach, he requires a top project too" (REUTERS, 5/26). As "rumours regarding Conte's future grew on Tuesday," a banner criticizing Inter Chair Steven Zhang was unfurled at the club's offices that read, "Zhang: take responsibility or get out of our town" (ESPN.com, 5/26).
Former Inter striker Eder, who also played for Jiangsu Suning, tweeted, "After we achieved something important (winning the Chinese Super League), the Chinese people (Zhang and his father) threw away all the hard work done by the players, staff and directors. And now at Inter, they’re throwing away all the hard work done by Conte, because they need €100 million in their pockets" (YAHOOFINANCE.it, 5/26).
Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol said that Conte was "told by the club’s Chinese owners, [Suning], 'Well done, great job, but you’ve got cut to costs now.'" Solhekol: "Conte has turned around and gone, 'Wait, I can’t manage with one hand tied behind my back. I want to build a team that is going to be challenging for the Champions League next season.'" Solhekol also pointed out that "just a couple months" after Suning-owned Jiangsu FC won the Chinese Super League, Suning "closed the club down" in March ("Sky Sports News," NBCSN, 5/26).
