Reports: Chelsea identify replacement for Antonio Conte
What’s the rumour?
As reported by Daily Star, Chelsea have identified Juventus' Massimiliano Allegri to replace Antonio Conte at Chelsea next season. Conte's days in England are all but over following a dismal campaign.
In case you didn't know...
Allegri is one of the best managers in the world and ironically, he replaced Conte at Juventus in 2014. Since then, he has led them to three consecutive domestic doubles and also to the UEFA Champions League final in 2017. He was also voted as the third best coach in the world by FIFA in 2017 as a result of his exploits with Juventus.
Conte won the league title in his first season at Chelsea but they have been a shadow of their former self this year. The club is currently fifth in the league table and faces a tough task to qualify for the Champions League next season.
The heart of the matter
It is almost certain that Conte gets the sack from Roman Abrahimovic and the club are looking at potential replacements for the Itlian. Ex-Barcelona coach Luis Enrique was widely touted to be his successor but Chelsea are unwilling to meet his wage demands as per reports.
As a result, they have identified Allegri as their top candidate to take the reigns this summer, despite the Italian having a contract till 2020 with Juventus.
Acoording to reports, Allegri has also recently exclaimed that his days in Italy are almost over and wants a move abroad
Rumour rating/probability - 8/10
Many outlets all over the world are reporting the news and we believe that there is some truth in the rumour after all.
Author’s take
A managerial change seems almost inevitable for Chelsea and there is every chance that Allegri can turn Chelsea's fortunes around. He also brings with him experience in Europe, something Conte lacks, and Chelsea fans can look forward to a better campain next term.