Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte looks set to leave Stamford Bridge within the next 48 hours, according to a report from The Express.
A frustrated Conte will leave Chelsea after a dismal season finishing in fifth place.
The former Juventus manager lost motivation through the season and became disillusioned by the club when key transfer were not completed. Chelsea look set to pay Conte an agreed £9 million, for the final year of his contract.
Luis Enrique looks the clear favourite to replace Conte, but also in the running is Monaco head coach Leonardo Jardim and Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri.
Conte won the Premier League last season. However only finished fifth and snatched the FA Cup in his second season. Chelsea’s last lustre performances and poor form have indicated Conte’s departure. Speaking about his future, the Chelsea boss had this to say:
Sometimes you do not always have the same ambition.
Last season after we won the League, I and the club spoke, we tried to find the right way to try to defend our title. I decided to stay and work hard.
When you decide to take on a coach like me, you must know who you are taking on, who you are charging for this job. I cannot change my personality, my idea of football. I am a serial winner. The way we played on Saturday was the only way to lift a trophy the way we are now. If you want to change, you must change many players.
Conte grew frustrated at the club last summer, often haranguing the board for key transfers which were allowed to let slip. The Italian wished to build upon his success with signings such as; left-back Alex Sandro, Romelu Lukaku and Virgil van Dijk, but these wishes never materialised. Conte blames his failures this season largely on Chelsea’s transfer policy.
Despite winning the FA Cup the Chelsea manager does not see this changing his fortunes, as he said:
I don’t think winning the FA Cup changes anything about my future. A win or a loss cannot change that.
It’s right for the club to take the best decision. The win on Saturday cannot change an assessment of my work.
We could have played better at Wembley but the situation is we have to play strong defensively if we want to win a trophy.
The club has the right experience to understand the moment now and what the club has to do in the future, to be competitive and to fight for a place in the Champions League.
