Italy coach Antonio Conte is understood to be confident that Chelsea will turn to him as they look to appoint a new permanent manager.
The Blues parted ways with Jose Mourinho at the end of 2015, with the Portuguese coach having taken the Pensioners from the top of the table to the brink of a relegation battle after a remarkable implosion.
While Guus Hiddink has steadied the ship, and has only lost to Paris Saint-Germain since replacing Mourinho in December, the veteran Dutch coach appears not to be Roman Abramovich’s long-term pick to succeed Mourinho.
Various names have been linked to the job, including the likes of Diego Simeone, Jorge Sampaoli and Massimiliano Allegri, but latterly, Italy coach Conte has emerged as the favourite.
According to the Telegraph, Conte—who will lead the Azzurri at the European Championships in France this summer—is growing increasingly confident that he will be the man the Blues turn to as they look to move on from a miserable campaign.
Conte won the Serie A title on five occasions as a player, and lifted the Italian title three times as a coach with Juventus. He also won the Champions League with the Old Lady in 1996.
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