European giants Real Madrid are reportedly interested in making Chelsea manager Antonio Conte their next man in charge of the Bernabeu.
Spanish outlet Don Balon claims that Madrid president Florentino Perez is considering replacing current manager Zinedine Zidane at the end of the campaign if the 12-time Champions League winners fail to win any silverware this season.
The report claims that Conte is the preferred choice to succeed Zidane next season and he has already been in contact with the Italian with regards to the position.
Good news for Chelsea?
Conte has been a breath of fresh air since his arrival into English football and it will be a massive miss to everyone involved if he were to depart for Spain.
The Italian enjoyed a sensational debut campaign at Stamford Bridge last season, guiding the Blues to their second Premier League title in three years in blistering style.
However, cracks seemed to appear during the summer transfer window where Chelsea allowed midfield enforcer Nemanja Matic to join rivals Manchester United, whilst they also missed out on a number of transfer targets.
Chelsea fans are hugely fond of Conte due to his antics on the touchline and they will be desperate to keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.
Although Chelsea have a history of changing managers, it will be extremely tough task to replace one of the best around in Conte.
This Is Futbol rating: 1/10
Likely to happen?
As mentioned in the report, Madrid’s pursuit of Conte depends on whether the La Liga champions fail to pick up any trophies this season.
Zidane’s side are trailing bitter rivals Barcelona in the league but they can also rely on the Champions League to provide them with some comfort, and it will be same this time around.
As it is with players, it will be tough for a manager to reject a chance to take charge in the Spanish capital but if Chelsea can promise Conte some stability in West London, he might decide to stick it out in the Premier League.
This Is Futbol rating: 4/10