- Chelsea expect Antonio Conte to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer
- The Blues have three replacements in mind as the Italian nears an exit
- Diego Simeone, Massimiliano Allegri and Maurizio Sarri are leading contenders
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Chelsea have reportedly identified three leading candidates to replace Antonio Conte as they expect the Italian to leave Stamford Bridge in the next few months.
The Blues are planning for life without Conte due to a number of internal conflicts, and the Times claim Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is a leading candidate to come in.
Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri and Maurizio Sarri of Napoli are also among the three names being looked at by the Premier League champions as Conte’s days look numbered.
While the Times state that the 48-year-old is unlikely to be sacked, the club supposedly expect to come to a mutual agreement over his departure at the end of the season.
MORE: Chelsea FC rumours
Despite so much instant success with Chelsea last season, it now seems Conte’s days are numbered and another big name could be due to arrive at the Bridge in the near future.
Despite Simeone being Chelsea’s preferred choice, there are some lingering doubts over whether the Argentine tactician would choose a move to the Premier League over offers from Serie A, due to not being able to speak English.
Having worked wonders at Atletico Madrid, it’s easy to see why Simeone would be targeted by a big name like Chelsea, as it would be intriguing to see what he could do with more resources at his disposal.