‘I reiterate’ - Former Spurs and Chelsea boss Antonio Conte delivers ‘important club’ verdict to Napoli

Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has rejected the management job at Serie A giants Napoli as he bides his time before making a return to football.

The Little Donkeys were reportedly ready to mutually agree a termination of current boss Rudi Garcia's contract after a turbulent start to the role he began in June. Napoli cruised to Serie A victory last year, 16 points ahead of second-place Lazio, but sit fifth in the league this season after the opening eight fixtures.

Conte was tipped to return to the league he knows so well and take his first job since leaving Tottenham Hotspur under a cloud of fury in March. However, after a long talk with the Italian champions, the 54-year-old has ruled himself out of the role.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reported that Conte had a 'long, direct talk' with Napoli president De Laurentiis but that 'discussions were not positive'. The former Chelsea boss then took to social media to share his own statement. Conte wrote: "I hear insistent market rumours that draw me closer to important clubs, but I reiterate that for now there is only the will to continue to stay still and enjoy family life."

The manager has been out of the limelight since leaving Spurs by mutual consent earlier this year. That decision came after a press conference outburst which saw a seething Conte slam the club and players.

After a 3-3 draw with Southampton, the manager ranted: "We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don't want to help each other and don't put their heart [in].

"They don't want to play under pressure, they don't want to play under stress. It is easy in this way. Tottenham's story is this. Twenty years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stay here.

"You risk to disrupt the figure of the manager and to protect the other situation in every moment. Until now I try to hide the situation but now, no, because I repeat, I don't want to see what I have seen today because this is unacceptable and also unacceptable for the fans.

"They follow us, pay for their ticket and to see the team another time, to have this type of performance is unacceptable. We have to think a lot about this."