PSG POISED TO MAKE A SUMMER BID FOR CONTE

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN are preparing to offer Antonio Conte a summer escape route out of Chelsea. The Ligue 1 club have already made discreet overtures about the Italian replacing under-pressure manager Unai Emery ahead of next season. It is looking increasingly likely that Emery will pay the price for failing to guide PSG past Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16. Conte features prominently on the list of candidates to replace Emery. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino — who used to play for PSG — is also highly regarded in the French capital. Like Emery, the Chelsea manager is set to leave his current role at the end of the season, despite leading the Blues to Premier League glory less than 12 months ago. Chelsea risk missing out on Champions League qualification for next season and are also in danger of an early exit from this season’s competition. They face Barcelona in the second leg of their last-16 tie at the Nou Camp next Wednesday. The first leg finished 1-1. An exit from Europe, together with tensions between Conte and the Chelsea board, would likely signal the Italian’s exit. The Italian national team have already made Conte — who earns £9.6million a year at Stamford Bridge — their first-choice candidate to fill their vacant manager’s role. PSG’s interest in Conte arrives at a convenient time for the former Juventus manager but it remains to be seen whether a move to France would interest him. Meanwhile, Slavisa Jokanovic is a surprise contender for the Chelsea job, with the Fulham boss one of the names being considered by the Premier League side’s board. Former Barca boss Luis Enrique remains overwhelming favourite to take over from Conte this summer but Jokanovic is impressing officials at his old club. The Serb played for Chelsea from 2000-02 and is currently pushing for promotion from the Championship with Fulham, who have not lost in the league since December. The 49-year-old is seen as a commanding presence in the dressing room and a coach who prioritises attacking football. Under him, the Cottagers are the second tier’s joint top scorers alongside Wolves. He counts Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho among his friends and has observed several Carlo Ancelotti training sessions. One downside is that Jokanovic has never managed in the Premier League, despite having led Watford to the top flight in April 2015. He left the Hornets before the next season started because of a contract stand-off.