Italy ready to renew Conte contract

Italian FA president Carlo Tavecchio has revealed that the organisation is ready to enter discussions with the coach, despite his lingering indictment for sporting fraud

Italy is ready to enter negotiations with Antonio Conte in order to renew his contract with the national team, Carlo Tavecchio has revealed.

The 46-year-old coach took charge of the Azzurri in the summer of 2014, succeeding Cesare Prandelli, who resigned following their group stage elimination from the World Cup.

Conte, who had led Juventus to three consecutive Serie A titles before taking charge of the national team, is currently contracted until after Euro 2016, but the Italian FA president says it is ready to extend that already.

"Conte is one of the best coaches I've ever seen," Tavecchio told reporters. "If he asks about it, I am ready to renew his contract, assuming it meets the conditions and the course of our technical sponsors Puma."

Controversy has surrounded Conte after his indictment for sporting fraud in relation to alleged match fixing from his days at Siena, which will see him stand trial alongside 103 others.

Tavecchio, though, insists the charges do not affect the governing body's stance on the coach,

“We live in a country with a justice system. An indictment is not a conviction," he added.