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Chelsea Will Have To Fork Out A Fortune To Fire Antonio Conte

Chelsea Will Have To Fork Out A Fortune To Fire Antonio Conte

The Italian's potential departure from Stamford Bridge won't come cheap

Joe Baiamonte

Joe Baiamonte

There may be several people in and around Chelsea Football Club who are ready to see the back of manager Antonio Conte, but if the Italian's detractors are to see their wish granted, it will set the club back a substantial chunk of change.

The former Juventus and Italy boss has come under fire this season, following an almost non-existent Premier League title defence, which has seen the Blues slump to six defeats and sit in fourth place, 19 points behind champions elect Manchester City.


Heavy back-to-back defeats to Bournemouth and Watford have left the Italian's position looking pretty perilous, with reports persisting to do the rounds claiming that former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique will replace Conte at the end of the season.

However, with Conte still having three years left on his current £8.7 million-a-season deal at Stamford Bridge, his departure won't come cheap.

Spanish newspaper Sport are reporting that sacking Conte will cost Roman Abramovich somewhere in the region of £26.7 million, which, although an amount Chelsea's Russian owner could comfortably find down the side of an armchair on one of his yachts, is hardly a sum Abramovich will want to hand over to a manager he's reported to have had multiple problems with.


Things have turned sour for Conte at Stamford Bridge, this season, after a glorious debut campaign. Images: PA
Things have turned sour for Conte at Stamford Bridge, this season, after a glorious debut campaign. Images: PA


It is believed that Abramovich will try and strike a more reasonable deal with Conte, although the Italian is rumoured to be steadfastly against settling for anything less than what is stated in his contract. Fair play, I suppose.

With the Blues well out of the title race and facing the arduous task of trying to eliminate runaway La Liga table toppers Barcelona on the horizon, the Chelsea board are believed to be favouring securing a top four finish ahead of an attempt to land any silverware. Conte's Premier League champions do not currently look like a team that could realistically lift the Champions League and the FA Cup is seen as less important than qualification for Europe's premiere club competition.

Luis Enrique: The man to replace Conte? Image: PA
Luis Enrique: The man to replace Conte? Image: PA

Whether Conte can still do enough to convince Abramovich he's worth keeping around, or whether Conte himself wants to remain in London past the end of this season, remains to be seen.

What do you make of the rumours, though? Do Chelsea need to get rid of Conte and is Luis Enrique the right man to replace the Italian?

Have your say in the comments section, below.

(H/T Sport)

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Football News, Chelsea, Football, Premier League, Antonio Conte