The Italian Football Federation have confirmed that current national team head coach Antonio Conte will be parting ways with Azzurri after Euro 2016, scheduled to start June 10. This opens up a huge possibility for defending Premier League champions Chelsea to rope in Conte as their next club manager.
The Blues are in the lookout of a new manager this summer.
The likes of Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone and Antonio Conte are frontrunners to bag the Chelsea top job next season. Current manager Guus Hiddink was roped in only on an interim basis until the end of the season by the Blues last December after sacking Jose Mourinho.
According to the Guardian, Conte has been holding talks with the Chelsea officials for several weeks and it is expected that the former Juventus manager will sign a three-year deal at Stamford Bridge. The confirmation is also expected to come in just before the end of the current season.
"Conte will leave the national team after the European Championship," Italian Football Federation President Carlo Tavecchio said on Tuesday. "He hears the call of the [training] pitch and of daily work, which is understandable."
The British news website had also claimed that the Italy manager is expected to meet Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in London sometime this week. Conte has also reportedly told the Chelsea officials that he would bring in his long-time assistants, Angelo Alessio and Massimo Carrera, once he is formally announced as the new Chelsea manager.
Conte also wants to bring scouts Mauro Sandreani and Gianluca Conte to the Stamford Bridge.
The 46-year-old Juventus legend was roped in as the Italy head coach after the Azzurri made a shocking group exit from the FIFA World Cup 2014. During his time as the manager of Juventus, Conte inspired the Turin giants to three back-to-back Series A titles between 2011 and 2014.
As a player, he had won five Serie A titles with the Old Lady.
