Chelsea boss Antonio Conte to be offered Italy job if Blues decide to sack - EXCLUSIVE

ANTONIO CONTE will be offered an instant escape to Italy if he is axed by Chelsea.

Posted Friday, February 02, 2018 by Dailystar.co.uk

Conte is on the brink at Chelsea after Wednesday’s 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth having also upset owner Roman Abramovich and the board with constant public attacks over transfers.

It is understood that senior players are also fed up with him and have complained privately that training is too demanding under the Italian.

A source close to Abramovich said last night: “I don’t think he will survive.”

Pressed on whether the 48-year-old could go soon, he added: “Maybe.”

Some insiders even feel the manager is deliberately trying to get himself sacked because he has had enough at Stamford Bridge, but sources close to the manager deny this.

The Italian FA would love to have Conte back, having kept the job open since sacking Gian Piero Ventura in November.

There is widespread support for Conte’s return having taken Italy to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, where they went out on penalties to Germany.

Starsport revealed last month that ex-Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has been lined up to replace him at Stamford Bridge with former Blues full-back Juliano Belletti as director of football.

Ex-Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti - who, like Enrique, is out of work - is also understood to be ready to step in, possibly in a caretaker role until the summer.

Conte is currently walking a tightrope at Stamford Bridge with insiders bemused by some of his behaviour.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte to be offered Italy job if Blues decide to sack - EXCLUSIVE
Antonio Conte is under mounting pressure at Chelsea

This week he prepared for the visit of Bournemouth by training with Michy Batshuayi as his main striker, even though it was almost certain the Belgium would be leaving the club before the game.

Batshuayi duly joined Dortmund on loan on Wednesday with Eden Hazard struggling to get to grips with Conte’s formation against Bournemouth showing little obvious understanding with new £15m signing Ross Barkley, who was substituted in the 54th minute.

There is also believed to be concern with how hard Conte is driving his players in training.

Andreas Christensen became the seventh Chelsea player this season to suffer a hamstring injury against the Cherries and some in the squad think that’s because they are being flogging too hard.

Conte is said to be underwhelmed by the signing of Barkley and the £17.6m arrival of Roma centreback Emerson Palmieri, with director Marina Granovakaia believed to be the driving force behind both deals.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte to be offered Italy job if Blues decide to sack - EXCLUSIVE
New signing Ross Barkley has failed to make an immediate impact

The champions are on a run of just two wins in their last nine games and have failed to score in five of those matches.

Conte complained that he is being hung out to dry after the Bournemouth disaster, and said: “If we win, we win together. If we lose, lose the
team and the coach.”

They face Watford on Monday where another defeat could spell the end for Conte.

But one concern Chelsea have about axing Conte too soon is believed to be the lack of an immediate caretaker manager, as his backroom staff are all Italian.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte to be offered Italy job if Blues decide to sack - EXCLUSIVE
Roman Abramovich is reportedly angry with Antonio Conte

Eddie Newton, who is technical director for Chelsea’s loaned out players, worked alongside former assistant Steve Holland to run the team for one game after Jose Mourinho was sacked in December 2015.

Former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet said: “It doesn’t look right from outside. And this is not just coming from the last month – it is from the summer.

“I would leave the manager to finish the season. It is very important not to create another issue with another manager with another system and another mentality ahead of a massive Champions League game against Barcelona.

“I am seeing it from the manager’s side – not the club’s side – and I know there is a big difference.”