Champions League finalist Simone Inzaghi is facing an uncertain future – with two Premier League teams already holding talks with him.
The Inter Milan manager has lost his second Champions League final in three years with the Serie A club suffering a 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday night.
Despite this, the Italian is now considered one of the best coaches in the game, having followed up his cup expertise at Lazio by adding six more titles with Inter.
Asked if he would manage Inter at the Club World Cup in America, which begins in two weeks, Inzaghi said: “As I was saying before to your colleague, I cannot answer this question now. I came here out of respect for you, for politeness because I am hurting from a sporting point of view.
“It’s not the right time to talk about the future. We are extremely disappointed and since July of last year we’ve played 58 or 59 games, we got to this final match, so it’s awkward to talk about my future now.
“Again, we are extremely disappointed. We will be talking about the fact we won no silverware this year but these players deserve great credit because they gave it their very best shot and we suffered a lot of injuries. I wouldn’t change these players for anyone else.”
Despite becoming a modern great at San Siro, his future has been the subject of speculation, particularly with a reported big money offer from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal.
Hilal recently parted ways with serial winner Jorge Jesus, and need a new leader as the sole Saudi team in this summer’s Club World Cup.
Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri confirmed those reports to talkSPORT, but also revealed two other far more interesting teams.
“The situation is that Al Hilal offered him £25million per-season for two seasons,” he said.
“I can tell you that he had advanced contacts with both Newcastle and Tottenham but at the same time, the priority for him is to stay at Inter.”
Newcastle’s interest was likely before Eddie Howe steadied the ship for a first trophy in 70 years and qualified for the Champions League, but Spurs may still be on the lookout.
Ange Postecoglou similarly broke a trophy drought with the Europa League title, but a worst-ever Premier League season has left the Australian in a precarious position.
However, they’re not the only ones in England who rate the Italian, with Palmeri adding two more names.
“Obviously if we talk on a financial level nobody can compete with the salary that Al Hilal are offering,” he explained.
“But the Premier League is always a great temptation and at the same time I must tell you that Inzaghi already rejected Liverpool last summer and Manchester United in October.”
Liverpool conducted an extensive search to replace Jurgen Klopp last summer and eventually settled on Arne Slot and won the Premier League.
United, meanwhile, replaced Erik ten Hag with Ruben Amorim, and things only got worse.
Yet if the Red Devils were to call time on Amorim and come back for Inzaghi, Tancredi has explained what will be decisive in the 49-year-old rejecting any approach, even that from Al Hilal.
“The priority for him is Inter, but things are not done because he will have a meeting, probably on Tuesday, with Inter’s management and he will ask for guarantees about the transfer window,” he said.
“For the whole four years he hasn’t had a proper transfer window – imagine Inter playing the second Champions League final in three years and after all of this – considering who they signed, they cashed in 180 million.
“He’s been doing miracles, but he’s been saying ‘After we lose I’m blamed, I want to be given the proper tools to fight to go forward in every competition, maybe then we’ll lose, but give me a proper transfer window’.”
