Chelsea 'make initial contact with Napoli boss Sarri to replace Conte'

It is looking increasingly likely that Antonio Conte will leave Chelsea this summer and be replaced by Maurizio Sarri.

The Blues have reportedly made first contact with the Napoli boss over becoming their new manager during the summer, having decided to bin off fellow Italian.

Conte had the dream start to life in the Premier League as he won the title in his first season back in 2016 but this campaign has spectacularly failed to defend it, with the Blues struggling even to make the top four, sitting in fifth, 10 points behind Spurs with five games to go.

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He has also reportedly fallen out with the Stamford Bridge hierarchy over the club’s transfer policy according to the Mirror, which had led to Roman Abramovich switching his attentions to Sarri, who has quietly gone about becoming one of Italy’s most sought after coaches in recent years.

And there is good news for Chelsea on that front too. According to Italian media outlet Il Mattino reported on Wednesday that Sarri had not renewed the lease on his house in Naples, which has intensified rumours he is off to replace Conte at Stamford Bridge.

Sarri, 59, has been linked with the Blues since February, when it became clear that Conte wouldn’t see out the summer as Chelsea manager having failed spectacularly to defend the Premier League title or even qualify for the Champions League.

According to reports Blues owner Roman Abramovich has been following Sarri’s progress at Napoli for some time and is believed to be willing to pay his £8 million release clause for one of the hottest properties in Italian football.

In February Sarri distanced himself from Chelsea amid reports he had delayed discussing a new deal with Napoli, saying: “I want to focus on other issues right now, so someone will meet with the president over the next few days and listen to the proposal on my behalf. There’s no problem between Aurelio and I, so it’s not an issue.”

But according to reports from Italy he has again delayed talks on an improved contract this week, adding fuel to the fire that he is off this summer, whether Napoli win the title or not. He is understood to have a £7million release clause, valid until May 31, in his contract.

Sarri has emerged from nowhere over the last few years to become one of the countries most sought-after managers. He spent the bulk of his early managerial career in Italy’s lower leagues, before being appointed as Empoli boss in Serie B in 2012.

There he won promotion with the minnows to Serie A a year later and kept them in the top flight. He then moved to Napoli, replacing Rafa Benitez in June 2015 and has gone on to build a side that is currently challenging Juventus for the league title, and currently sits four points behind the leaders with seven games to go.