Chelsea inform managerial candidate they won’t pay £7m fee to land him

Chelsea’s future remains up in the air following a messy saga trying to find a replacement for Antonio Conte, who remains in charge at Stamford Bridge but is widely expected to depart imminently.

The Blues have made their intention to land former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri clear and were handed an opportunity following Carlo Ancelotti’s appointment in Naples but the Serie A runners-up are playing hardball.

According to The Guardian, Chelsea have informed Sarri that they will not pay Napoli’s £7m release-clause to end his contract with the Italian giants and the highly-rated manager is now assessing with his legal team regarding ways to become available.

Sarri is keen to land the position at Stamford Bridge but, as the saga rumbles on, the Blues have started to assess other candidates in the market, reportedly holding talks with former France manager Laurent Blanc and also targeting an ambitious swoop for three-time Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane.