Antonio Conte is on the Catalonian giants Barcelona’s radar as fresh reports emerge of Conte being likely to leave Chelsea after this season.
According to a report by Sunday Express, Barcelona are likely to sign Antonio Conte to take charge of the club’s reins by next season.
Before this season of the English Premier League started, it was super hyped only because of the big names that suddenly got associated with several of the top clubs – Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola, to name a few.
However, with just a season done, reports are rife that the Italian is looking to move out of Stamford Bridge.
Conte has already been on the wanted list of Seria-A club Inter Milan, and now reports suggest that Barcelona are also in the fray.
Conte has had an incredible season at Chelsea. The Blues are on the verge of winning the league this season, and have been lethal as far as performances are concerned. They are also likely contenders for the FA Cup, and by the looks of it, Conte can win them both.
The Italian manager is due to be at Chelsea for another season, but he could be looking at a potential move out of the club.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have been looking to replace Luis Enrique after his announcement that he would be stepping down. They are yet to finalize on a manager, and Conte is one of their targets.
Barcelona will do well to pursue Conte, considering how he helped Chelsea transition into the strong formidable side it is today. Barcelona could use some of that transformation to compete better with their arch-rivals Real Madrid, and to improve their Champions League campaign.
If Conte does want to leave, Chelsea’s owner Roman Abramovich can’t force him to stay. He will have to look for an apt replacement, and right now, his close friend Leonid Slutsky seems to be the most likely option.
The former CSKA Moscow and Russia boss has been living in London for quite some time now, and they’ve been good friends for more than a decade. Slutsky has also been a regular attendee of all Chelsea matches and their training sessions.