Chelsea have reportedly tabled a bumper new deal to Antonio Conte to ward of Inter Milan, who are showing interest in the Italian manager.
According to a report in TransferMarketWeb, Chelsea are looking to thwart Inter Milan in pursuit of their manager Antonio Conte having offered a bumper new four-year deal to the Italian – a deal that will see him earn €12 million a year.
Antonio Conte is, perhaps, the biggest success story that Chelsea have witnessed in recent years. So much so, that the Blues supporters are running out of adjectives to hail the instant impact that he has created at Stamford Bridge this season.
The Italian tactician took charge of a beleaguered Chelsea side that had embarked on the worst title defence in Premier League history, as they finished a dismal tenth on the table with just 50 points on the board in 2015-16.
It’s all about Antonio Conte & Inter in Italy. He’s definitely their top target. Chelsea are convinced that he will resist the offers. #cfc pic.twitter.com/O4HfLlQ8Pe
— Kristof Terreur ? (@HLNinEngeland) May 11, 2017
And although Leicester are poised to beat that mark – bar a late flourish – in the current campaign, it was quite embarrassing to relinquish the title like they did last season.
In the ten months that have followed his first game in charge of the West London side, he has turned things around remarkably and how, converting a side bereft of confidence into table-toppers.
Much to the surprise of Chelsea fans and the neutrals alike, the Blues have romped to the summit of English football and are just one win away from reclaiming the Premier League title. And while they have suffered a blip or two along the way, Conte’s men have largely been imperious over the course of the campaign.
One of Conte’s key masterstrokes was to change his side’s system in order to get the best out of the players he had at his disposal, and it surely worked wonders.
So, judging by the kind of immediate impact that he’s had, it’s not hard to see why the Chelsea players and fans alike marvel over Conte day in day out. With the failures of last season seeming like a bad dream, everyone associated with the West Londoners are dreaming of a bright future under Conte.
But, if one club had their way, the dream would merely remain a dream, as Inter Milan are eager to poach Conte away from West London and back to Italy. The Nerazzurri sacked Stefano Pioli earlier this week and are looking to appoint one of the best managers in the world in order to reclaim lost glories.
The club’s owners, the Suning Group, are willing to invest heavily in the transfer market to land the best players in the world as well, but a top manager is believed to be topping their priority list. They have, thus, identified Conte as the man to lead them and are plotting a swoop for the Chelsea boss in the summer.
Chelsea, however, are not interested in letting go of a man who is such a revered figure at Stamford Bridge and have, thus, tabled a new four-year deal that will see him earn €12 million a year. Indeed, a new deal was reported to be in the offing in recent months, and now a formal offer is on the table as well.
Conte, too, is likely to be keen to stay with Chelsea and mount a challenge for the UEFA Champions League next season, meaning it is likely Inter will have to look for another manager to lead them next season.