Antonio Conte has urged Inter Milan to pursue Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero, declaring the Argentina international the “best defender by a mile” at the World Cup. The former Napoli manager, currently working as a television pundit ahead of the final between Spain and Argentina, offered the advice amid reports the Serie A club are eager to secure the centre-back’s signature.
Conte is a free agent after negotiating his departure from Napoli by mutual consent earlier this year, just twelve months after guiding the club to the Scudetto. He has been heavily linked with a return to international management with Italy, though he insists no approach has been made.
Italy vacancy speculation
Speaking to DAZN Italia, Conte addressed speculation regarding the Azzurri vacancy. “I was already the Italy coach and it was a wonderful experience,” he said. “I was not contacted” for the position, he maintained, despite being mentioned alongside candidates such as Roberto Mancini and Andrea Pirlo.
Conte previously coached Italy from 2014 to 2016. He indicated that any future project must have “a shared vision, that it is embraced without ifs or buts” to build something important.
World Cup praise for Romero
The discussion turned to club matters, specifically Romero’s performances in the tournament. Conte, who managed the defender during his spell at Tottenham, believes the centre-back’s contributions have been overlooked. “His performance in this World Cup has been rather under-estimated,” Conte stated. “He is having an extraordinary tournament, the best defender by a mile compared to all the others.”
Conte recommended Inter act decisively if they hope to secure Romero’s services. “I read that some Italian teams want him, but I don’t know if Tottenham want to sell,” he noted. He highlighted Romero’s combative nature as a key asset, attributing it to his Argentine footballing education. “He is a tough player, and Argentine’s still play street football, which is a positive thing that we are missing in Italy,” he added. “Every match is it’s either you or me.”
Inter Milan’s interest in Romero is understood to be concrete, though any deal would require negotiations with Tottenham, who are under no obligation to sell their key defender. With Conte currently unattached, his future remains uncertain despite his availability and pedigree.