Head coach Antonio Conte has reportedly indicated that he will not willingly walk away from his lucrative contract at Chelsea.
For a number of months, it has appeared increasingly inevitable that the Italian will leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, despite still having a year remaining on his existing deal.
The club's poor Premier League campaign and alleged disagreements over transfers have led to further discontent, but according to The Mirror, Conte will not shelve his £9m-per-year terms.
The report claims that Conte does not have another job lined up, leading to the 48-year-old preferring to have his contract paid up if the Blues hierarchy want to make a change in the dugout.
Napoli's Maurizio Sarri is currently available for a set release clause but that will expire soon after the end of the season, leaving Chelsea with the possibility of having to pay a combined total in the region of £16m in order to secure the 59-year-old's services.
Darren Plant
