Chelsea are reportedly considering the possibility of a sensational return of former Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte.
What’s the latest on Conte to Chelsea?
According to Miguel Delaney of the Independent, the Blues may launch an outlandish bid to tempt their old boss back to Stamford Bridge.
Delaney details that co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are intrigued by what the Italian can offer and they view him as a ‘winner’, who could possibly bring organisation and structure to this bloated squad.
The piece also confirms that there has been initial contact through intermediaries and if talks progress well there could be a direct meeting next week.
It comes after the Blues hierarchy also reportedly considering a move for another ex-manager in the form of Jose Mourinho, who is currently at Serie A outfit AS Roma.
Will Conte return to Chelsea?
Boehly and co are close to sealing the appointment of club legend Frank Lampard as caretaker manager until the end of the season.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein has said this temporary arrangement has been sanctioned to allow for an “exhaustive search” to find the right permanent successor to Graham Potter, who was brutally sacked after the dismal defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend.
Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley are leading the search for a new head coach under the supervision of Boehly and Eghbali, with Conte’s name thrown into the mix.
The Italian recently departed Spurs by mutual consent after a series of public outbursts decimated his relationship with the board.
The former Inter Milan boss is treasured in West London as he revolutionised English football with his 3-4-3 formation when he arrived in 2016 and directed Chelsea to the Premier League title in his debut season.
The 53-year-old also won the FA Cup but was dismissed in 2018 after he failed to achieve Champions League qualification.
Conte, who has won four Scudetto’s, was described by defender Matt Doherty as an “unbelievable coach” and “one of the best managers of all time.”
As well as the former Juventus midfielder, Chelsea have also earmarked Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique as other possibilities as they continue the interview process.
Enrique flew into London yesterday and is available after leaving the Spain job and the former Barcelona manager has supposedly already outlined his tactical vision for the club.
Nagelsmann, who was abruptly sacked by Bayern Munich, is also in talks with the Blues’ board and held “positive” conversations regarding the long-term project.
These two candidates currently appear in better positions to accept the job and due to Conte’s volatility and the unpredictability of the Chelsea hierarchy, the Italian would be an extremely risky decision.