Antonio Conte has claimed he will be taking time away from football following his Inter Milan exit at the end of May.
Despite guiding the Nerazzurri to the Serie A title last campaign, the Italian parted company with the club days after their title triumph following a fallout with the club's hierarchy over their summer transfer policy.
Due to the club's financial problems, Inter had wanted to raise around €80million through player sales this summer and that meant some of Conte's star names were at serious risk.
Linked with the Tottenham job following his departure from the San Siro, the ex-Chelsea boss looked destined to return to the capital and succeed Jose Mourinho after holding talks with Spurs.
However, despite so much ealy promise that both parties could agree on a stunning deal to see Conte take on the top job, discussions suddenly collapsed and Spurs still remain on the hunt to find their next manager nine weeks on from Mourinho's exit.
Speaking in his home country about his plans given he is currently without a job, Conte has stated that he will be using the year to take advantage of an "unwanted situation" by studying and spending time with his family.
"It will be a year in which I will try to study and continue to investigate certain situations," he told Radio Anch’io Sport (via Goal).
"I want to make the most of this unwanted situation, but that’s OK, I’ll take advantage of the period to be with my family and to watch football, which always evolves and goes on."
Amid talk that Conte had pulled out of discussions with Tottenham over the size of their summer transfer budget, he had his say on why things didn't work out when speaking to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport just over a week ago.
"Money is not my obsession," he explained. "I look at projects and I'm ready to stay at home if they don't convince me.
"I like difficult challenges but if there is something with a club that does not convince me, I prefer to say: no, thank you."
