Chelsea

Antonio Conte 'to sign new Chelsea deal in matter of days'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 08 March 2017

Conte 'to sign new deal in matter of days'

A report claims that Chelsea will look to secure the long-term future of boss Antonio Conte prior to the end of the week, amid suggestions that he is wanted by Barcelona.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte will reportedly put an end to growing doubt over his future at Stamford Bridge by penning a new long-term deal in the coming days.

The former Juventus and Italy boss is on course to win the Premier League in his first campaign at the club after guiding to Blues to a 10-point lead at the top.

Conte recently admitted that he is suffering from homesickness due to being away from his family, but was adamant that he had no intention of taking up Inter Milan's offer of a route back to Serie A.

That has not stopped speculation mounting over the 47-year-old's long-term future in West London, though, with fresh reports also suggesting that he is on the radar of Barcelona to take over from Luis Enrique in the summer.

Sky Sports News claims that Chelsea want to keep Conte at all costs, however, and may even thrash out a new contract prior to next Monday's FA Cup quarter-final meeting with Manchester United.

Conte won three successive titles in Italy with Juventus prior to stepping down and taking on the Italy national team job, which ended in the summer with defeat to Germany in the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.