Napoli have confirmed the appointment of former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte as their new head coach on a three-year deal.

The 54-year-old is the fourth head coach to be appointed since the departure of Scudetto-winning manager Luciano Spalletti following the 2022-23 season.

Napoli endured a disastrous title-defence which saw them finish in a lowly 10th place in Serie A, in what is regarded as one of the worst title defences in the league's history.

Now they are looking for a fresh start and have called upon Conte, who replaces Francesco Calzona, who spent three months in the role.

'Napoli is a place of global importance. I am happy and excited at the idea of ​​sitting on the blue bench,' Conte said to the club website.

Antonio Conte has signed a three-year deal and his the fourth head coach to arrive at Napoli since the departure of Luciano Spalletti 12 months ago

He continued: 'I can certainly promise one thing: I will do my utmost for the growth of the team and the club. My commitment, together with that of my staff, it will be total.' 

Conte's excitement about his new role is matched by the club pesident Aurelio De Laurentiis, who believes the Italian coach can get them challenging for the title again.  

'I am very proud that the new coach of Napoli is Antonio Conte,' said De Laurentiis. 'Antonio is a top coach, a leader, with whom I am sure that the necessary refoundation can begin after the conclusion of the cycle that led us to win the scudetto last year after many seasons at the top of Italian football. 

'Today an important new chapter in the history of Napoli opens.'

Conte has been preferred to Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who recently led the Bergamo-based side to Europa League glory. He also beat out former AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli, who was sacked after five years at the Rossoneri.

The Italian coach arrives in Naples after 15 months away from the game. His last position at Tottenham Hotspur came to an end after less than two years in north London.

He has reigned supreme in the Serie A on four separate occasions, three times with Juventus, and a solitary time with Inter Milan.

Napoli will be hoping his nouse for winning titles can help bring the Scudetto back to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona after a horrid defence of it.

The club went through three managers last season. Rudi Garcia was appointed as Spalletti's successor but only lasted until November 2023 after a poor start to the season.

Walter Mazzarri was brought back to the club to replace him, but on a strange length of contract. He was given just seven months.

However, he was sacked after four and Napoli turned to Calzona until the end of the campaign. The 55-year-old was already the Slovakia national team coach when he arrived in Naples and became the first Serie A boss ever to manage both a club side and a national side at the same time.