Chief confirms talks with prime Chelsea target have broken down

Chelsea will be full of joy after lifting the FA Cup at the weekend but, despite the success, it’s still widely reported that Antonio Conte will be replaced as manager at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have been linked with a number of managerial targets but seemed to have suffered a setback last week with the news that Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri was due to hold talks about his future with the Italian side, potentially signing a new deal.

However, Chelsea have been handed a boost as Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed that the Naples outfit have become fed up with waiting for an answer, with The Daily Mirror quoting him as stating:

“There is no more time For Sarri, he didn’t answer. Ask him, he has always sent me to Pellegrini (Sarri’s agent), he never gave me an answer. He only replied, ‘boh!’ I have to take responsibility. At some point we have to move forward. ‘I’m not saying he’ll leave. There is a release clause, we’ll see what will happen.”

On top of that, Sarri himself hinted that he could seek a new challenge.

“Now I have no idea what I will do, I must also talk to my family because decisions like these should not be taken on their own. The President needs a response quickly. We are at the end of the season and he needs to plan.”

“I understand that he needs an answer. My only confusion is that in life everything comes to an end. It’s the truth and sometimes it’s better to finish stories while they are good.”