Inter Milan: Simone Inzaghi to take over as manager of Italian champions after Lazio exit
- Published
Antonio Conte (left) will be replaced by Simone Inzaghi
Simone Inzaghi will take over from Antonio Conte as the new head coach at Inter Milan.
It is understood an agreement is in place for Inzaghi, 45, to move to the San Siro after his exit from Lazio was confirmed on Thursday.
Conte's departure from Inter was announced on Wednesday after he guided them to their first Serie A title since 2010.
Inzaghi won three trophies in five years as Lazio boss.
It is thought he fits with the vision of Inter going forward, where they will try to mould a team rather than buy a succession of older players as happened under Conte.
There is expected to be an element of cost-cutting as Inter's owners, the Chinese group Suning, try to deal with massive financial pressures across their general business.
Lazio finished sixth in Serie A this season but Inzaghi - who helped the Rome club win its last Scudetto in 2000 as a player - has earned a lot of praise for overachieving on a smaller budget than many rival clubs.
He began his coaching career with Lazio's youth sides, leading their Under-19 team to back-to-back Italian Cup victories. He took charge of the first team, initially in a caretaker capacity, in 2016 when Marcelo Bielsa resigned just two days after taking charge.
He guided Lazio to the Coppa Italia and two Italian Super Cup successes, and this season led them to the last 16 in their first Champions League campaign in 13 years.
Sky Italia reported that Inzaghi reached a verbal agreement to extend his Lazio contract during a meeting with club president Claudio Lotito on Wednesday, but was later convinced by Inter to change his mind.
"We respect the reconsideration of a coach and, before, a player who for many years has tied his name to the Lazio family and to many Biancocelesti successes," Lazio said in a brief statement in which Inzaghi was not mentioned by name.
