Chelsea 'make Antonio Conte lucrative offer to return as manager'

Current incumbent Mauricio Pochettino is currently nearing the end of his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge, the Argentine having endured an indifferent period.

Although the Blues have reached an EFL Cup final and FA Cup semi-final, Chelsea sit down in ninth position in the Premier League standings and are underdogs to achieve European qualification.

As a result, there is no certainty over Pochettino's future with the West Londoners, particularly when his contract only runs until 2025.

There have been conflicting reports over whether Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are planning for stability or another change in the dugout this summer.

Conte emerges as option for Chelsea?

In recent months, Chelsea have been linked with a wide array of alternatives, with the likes of Roberto De Zerbi and Ruben Amorim among those who have been suggested as potential alternatives to Pochettino.

However, according to La Repubblica, Chelsea's hierarchy are making an attempt to secure the services of Conte.

Chelsea are said to have been in close contact with Conte and his representatives in a bid to bring the 54-year-old back to England's capital.

Conte has been out of work since being removed from his position as Tottenham Hotspur head coach in March 2023 after a spell in charge that featured 24 defeats from 77 matches, winning 41 of the other 53.

The indication has been that Conte is more interested in securing a job back in his homeland with the likes of AC Milan and Napoli said to be considering an appointment.

Nevertheless, the report claims that Chelsea are making every effort to try to secure a reunion with a manager that delivered one of Chelsea's best-ever seasons in the Premier League.

How did Conte fare at Chelsea?

Under different owners, Conte's relationship with Chelsea ended on a sour note with the legal route being taken to determine compensation fees upon his exit. Chelsea are said to have lost as much as £26.6m once the issue was resolved.

On the pitch, though, it was a different story. Conte would record 69 victories from just 106 matches in charge, losing just 20 in all competitions across a two-year period.

In 2016-17, his first in English football, Conte guided Chelsea to a 93-point haul, winning 30 of their 38 games to win the Premier League title by seven points from Tottenham Hotspur.

Although Chelsea would lose the FA Cup final, they lifted that trophy 12 months later, but finishing in fifth in the 2017-18 Premier League and missing out on the Champions League meant that Conte's sacking under Roman Abramovich was inevitable.