Chelsea are under a lot of pressure heading into the summer transfer window, as the Blues’ demise this season has left the former Premier League champions without Champions League football next year for the second time in three seasons.
Speculation regarding the future of Antonio Conte has been rife for a number of months, despite the Blues being able to clinch the FA Cup this weekend if they beat Manchester United, but there’s additional pressure on the board to make the right call.
The Telegraph claims that Chelsea fear Eden Hazard could push for an exit this summer if he’s not content with Conte’s replacement, after his relationship with the Italian boss become strained – leading him to postpone talks on a potential £300k-a-week new deal.
Chelsea are considering former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique and current Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri as potential replacements for Conte, who will demand a £9m pay-off and won’t quit with his deal having just one-year remaining, but they’re yet to make a final decision.
Enrique is demanding a huge wage and significant spending money in the transfer market, while Sarri will command a £7m fee in compensation to Napoli and there’s concerns over his temperament.
