Mancini plays down Italy speculation

Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini insists he is not currently interested in becoming the next Italy national team boss despite recent speculation.

Current Italy manager Antonio Conte is being heavily linked with a move to Chelsea after Euro 2016, which the Azzurri are 19.00 to win.

Reports suggest Conte has already agreed to move to Stamford Bridge and Mancini is being lined up to replace him. While the former Manchester City coach insists it is in an honour to be linked, he is adamant he is happy with life at the San Siro.

He told reporters: “It’s always an honour to have your name linked with the national team but for now I don’t think so.

“We’ll see in the future.”

Inter are currently fifth in the Serie A table, two points behind Roma, who lie in third. Mancini had originally set his sights on the title but he is now concentrating on a top-three finish this year.

He added: “I’m used to Italian football by now and I don’t worry about the plaudits or the criticism. I think you should be judged at the end of the season.

“We made people think we could win the title. Obviously if we were up there with five matches remaining we’d have a chance.

“We always knew there were four better teams than us in the league but that doesn’t mean we can’t finish third. That was our objective at the start of the season and we hope to achieve it – if we got third it would be a great season for us.”