Chelsea manager Antonio Conte would have quit the Blues this summer if he hadn’t won his summer recruitment battle with technical director Michael Emenalo, according to the Irish Independent.
Writing in his column, Leeds and Republic of Ireland legend Johnny Giles says he believes that Conte would have likely left Stamford Bridge if Romelu Lukaku had been signed ahead of Alvaro Morata.
Emenalo was said to have been determined to land the Everton striker but Lukaku’s decision to join Manchester United effectively meant Emenalo had to go with Conte’s preferred choice Morata instead.
There were constant rumours about the Italian’s unhappiness at recruitment in the early part of the summer, and it must be said the timing of Morata’s signing and Conte signing a new contract gives the above theory some credibility.
Conte’s new two year deal was announced on the 18th July while Morata was officially announced as a Chelsea player three days later on the 21st July.
