The commissioner of the Italian Football Federation Alessandro Costacurta has revealed he will speak to Antonio Conte in the coming months with the view of offering him the vacant Italy job.

Conte coached the Azzurri from 2014-2016 before moving to Chelsea, where he currently has 18-months left on his contract at Stamford Bridge.

After winning the Premier League in his first season with the Blues, Conte’s side have since struggled, and currently sit 5th in the Premier League – leading to speculation the former Juventus boss could leave the club early at the end of the season.

Italy sacked coach Giampiero Ventura in November after they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

And Costacurta has now revealed he will again turn to Conte as his first choice for the vacancy.

“I haven’t chosen yet but I think Conte is the one who could do the best,” said Italian Football Federation (FIGC) deputy commissioner Costacurta in quotes to Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I’ll definitely talk with him in a couple of months.”

Another two former Chelsea bosses, Carlo Ancelotti and Claudio Ranieri, are also reportedly amongst the names on the star-studded shortlist put together by Costacurta, as if former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini who is currently in charge at Russian side Zenit St Petersburg.

Costacurta added: “Conte has already shown he knows how to be national team coach while the others haven’t yet.

“That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be happy with Mancini or with Ancelotti – although [Ancelotti] seems to have removed himself from consideration.

“Or the same with Ranieri, who had a difficult experience with Greece but came out stronger and went to Leicester.”