Chelsea are close to agreeing a new contract with Antonio Conte, killing off Internazionale's lingering hopes of prising the Italian away from Stamford Bridge in the process, but may opt to announce the deal only once the destiny of the title has become clear.
Victory at West Ham on Monday maintained Chelsea’s imposing advantage at the top of the division, with the leaders having dropped only 15 points this season. The positive impression Conte has made over his first eight months in charge has pleasantly surprised even the club’s own hierarchy and the team could still achieve the second league and FA Cup double in Chelsea’s history.
Conte, who intends to select a strong side for Monday's FA Cup quarter-final against José Mourinho's Manchester United, signed a deal through to 2019 worth around £6.5 million (€7.5 million) a year last summer, as he approached his first role outside his homeland. Chelsea are seeking to extend that and will increase the Italian's salary, but, in keeping with Conte's own mindset, are reluctant to announce anything that might serve as a distraction to the side's title challenge. With that in mind, any agreement reached may only be formally confirmed once the fate of the Premier League is decided.
Reports in Italy had suggested Inter, now under the money-flushed ownership of China's Suning Holdings group, would attempt to lure the manager to San Siro in the summer, while there have been links floated with Milan and his former club Juventus over recent days.
Intention to remain
However, Conte made clear last week his intention is to remain at Chelsea for the foreseeable future. The 47-year-old said last week that his wife, Elisabetta, who is completing a university course, and young daughter, Vittoria, have been missing him,but said they will finally move to London in the summer.
Conte had been using the FA Cup as a means of picking his squad and fringe players up to the fifth round stage, when Diego Costa and Eden Hazard were selected for the 2-0 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Yet, with a full week's preparation available for the visit of United, he is now considering including N'Golo Kante and Thibaut Courtois, as well as both Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta, in his side for Monday's fixture at Stamford Bridge. David Luiz and Marcos Alonso, who have both been carrying slight injuries, could still be rested, though the latter has made clear his desire to feature.
The latest reunion with Mourinho is likely to be spiky, given the Portuguese’s accusations that Conte, with his customary manic cheerleading of the home support, had been seeking to humiliate him late in the hosts’ 4-0 victory in the league in October. There were altercations between the backroom staff in the tunnel postmatch, while Mourinho has since suggested Conte’s side are ultra-defensive and are benefiting from their relatively light fixture schedule. The fact that Chelsea’s lack of European competition in effect stems from the difficulties experienced under the Portuguese at the start of last season has not escaped senior figures at the London club. Guardian service
