Chelsea are set to speak with Italian manager Antonio Conte regarding the managerial position at the club on Thursday according to several reports. The Italian has so far been heavily linked with taking over from Guus Hiddink and is one of the frontrunners to land the job having it being earlier reported that a deal was agreed in principle.
The discussions will take place in England after Chelsea had already previously gotten in touch with the Italian. With Diego Simeone not making a decision over his future at the moment and Massimilano Allegri not wanting any involvement with discussions it looks the former Juventus manager seems favourite.
The Blues have been in constant contact with Conte and he also seems to keen to take the job in the summer. The club are reportedly willing to pay a salary of £6.3million to the 46-year-old.
The former Juventus manager who won three successive Scudetto with the club will take over after the coaching the National team until the end of Euro 2016. Owner Roman Abramovich had consulted agent Federico Pastorello in Monaco after club director Marina Granovskaia identified Conte as the best man for the job.
Conte was a manager at Several Italian clubs including Arezzo Bari Atalanta and Siena before becoming manager at Juventus. He was unable to lead the club past the quarter-final stage in the Champions League and decided to become the coach of the National team replacing Cesar Prandelli.
Conte, a former Juventus and Italy player, managed Arezzo, Bari, Atalanta and Siena before taking over at the Turin club in 2011. Conte will apparently be given a 3-year-deal at the club ann has already identified certain targets after he takes over.
Guus Hiddink most likely to leave at the end of the season
Guus Hiddink was also rumoured to be offered a full-time position but that looks unlikely given his history. The Dutchman took charge in December after Jose Mourinho was sacked following a poor run of results.
Chelsea currently sit 12th in the table and are unbeaten in the league since Hiddink took charge. Their only loss so far is a 2-1 defeat to PSG in the first leg of the Round of 16 tie in Paris. Chelsea will be hoping to overturn that deposit when the French side visit Stamford bridge in March.
