Paris Saint-Germain are said to have gotten in touch with Antonio Conte’s representatives to enquire about his availability next season.
In a Guardian exclusive by Fabrizio Romano, it has been reported that the Ligue 1 giants have held talks with Conte’s people about a potential move to Parc des Princes in the summer. However, PSG haven’t made a formal offer yet but the report states that initial talks were positive.
The report goes on to state that PSG are willing to offer the former Juventus manager £10 million a year, a slight increase from the £9.5 million he earns at Chelsea. The other candidates being considered by the Parisians are Jose Mourinho, Diego Simeone and Massimiliano Allegri.
Conte has constantly been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge in the summer due to reports of him not seeing eye-to-eye with the Chelsea board and his old job with the Italian national team was considered to be his most likely summer destination.
However, he may be tempted to join the French giants, who are desperate to get their hands on the Champions League trophy. They are on their way to win their 5th Ligue 1 title in the past 7 seasons and have basically had a vice-like grip on other domestic competitions as well.
The only trophy that has eluded them since their takeover by Qatar Sports Investment group has been the UEFA Champions League. With their seemingly endless coffers, this would be an ideal destination for Conte, who has had trouble in recent transfer windows getting the players he wants.
If he isn’t promised the financial backing and the players he wants, Conte may very well choose to depart in the summer. Chelsea are in very real danger of missing out on Champions League football next season and that will make it even harder for them to attract world class names to strengthen their squad.
This will be the first time since the 2010-11 season that Antonio Conte won’t win a League title. He has stated earlier in the season how he isn’t able to compete with the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City, also hinting that Chelsea need to share his ‘ambition’ to win more.
In light of such comments, former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, former Manchester United boss Louis Van Gaal and Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri have all emerged as potential contenders for the top job at Stamford Bridge in recent weeks.
Conte is undoubtedly a fan favourite and will have the support of the majority, if not all of the supporters and his resignation or sacking will be met with a lot of disapproval. It will be interesting to see how this saga plays out in the over the course of the next few months and whether Chelsea are able to hold off the Italian national team and PSG in the summer.