ARSENAL have ‘agreed terms’ with Antonio Conte to replace Mikel Arteta as manager – according to shock reports.
And the move could be done quickly, with claims that Arteta will be axed if he fails to win ALL THREE of his next Premier League games.
However, the claims have been refuted, with Federico Pastorello – an agent close with Conte – saying: “Rumours about Arsenal pre-deal are not true.”
The reports have also been shot down by prominent transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.
They’ve emerged amid the Gunners making a miserable start to the new season, bottom of the league with zero points and three losses.
One of those was a demoralising 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City that also saw Granit Xhaka sent off.
Arsenal lost their opener 2-0 against Prem new-boys Brentford, and then by the same score to fierce London rivals Chelsea.
And then came the battering to City.
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According to Spanish outlet Todo Fichajes Conte has already been lined up to replace Arteta with ‘Edu and the Gunners board of directors having already thrashed out a preliminary agreement’.
The former Chelsea boss is out of work after surprisingly leaving Inter Milan this summer despite leading them to the Serie A title.
Despite the Conte revelations, Brendan Rodgers is the favourite to replace Arteta at the helm.
The 48-year-old Northern Irishman was available at 6/1 before the 2021-22 Premier League season got underway.
But he’s now priced at 6/4 with Betfair with Arteta under increasing pressure at the Emirates Stadium.
Eddie Howe is next in the betting market at 9/2.
Howe left Bournemouth in August 2020 when the club’s five-year stay in the Premier League came to an end.
He was backed into 1/16 to take over at Celtic but talks broke down over transfer plans and issues regarding his backroom staff.
Free agent Conte is priced at 5/1.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
