MANCHESTER UNITED star Cristiano Ronaldo “BLOCKED” the club from approaching Antonio Conte for the vacant managerial role, according to sensational reports.
Italian gaffer Conte was linked with the Old Trafford hotseat towards the end of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s turbulent tenure.
And at one stage in late October, a month before Solskjaer had been axed, the club are said to have asked Ronaldo for his thoughts on possibly appointing Conte.
But astonishingly a source told Manchester Evening News CR7 effectively rejected the notion of appointing Conte.
It’s claimed the demanding workload Conte puts on players, combined with his high intensity put the 37-year-old off from working under the Italian.
United instead turned to Ralf Rangnick as interim boss when Solskjaer was eventually relieved of his duties.
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The German was supposed to steady the ship while the search for Solskjaer’s permanent successor went on.
But all Rangnick succeeded in doing was steering the Red Devils to their lowest ever Premier League points tally.
United picked up just 58 points over the course of the campaign, winning just two of their final nine games.
Conte meanwhile was confirmed as new Tottenham manager back in November, soon after the reported discussions between Ronaldo and United chiefs.
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The 52-year-old was handed the daunting task of guiding Spurs to a Champions League finish following a horror start to the campaign under Nuno Espirito Santo.
And the former Chelsea and Juventus boss did exactly that.
Conte used every last bit of his expertise to put Spurs in a position to pounce if arch-rivals Arsenal capitulated.
The Gunners lost two out of their final three games, including once against Spurs, to put Champions League qualification in Conte’s hands right at the death.
