CHELSEA INSIST CONTE AXE WON’T COSTA TOO MUCH
CHELSEA are haggling to get a discount on Antonio Conte’s pay-off because the Italian cost the club millions of pounds with his treatment of Diego Costa (with Conte, left). The Blues have lined up Maurizio Sarri to take over on a two-year
contract. But the unhappiness with Conte at Stamford Bridge – allied with a new financial reality at the Roman Abramovich-owned club – has seen them reluctant to pay up £9million for his contract’s final year.
The former Italy coach, 48, won the Premier League title in his first season in 2016-17, then signed an improved contract until 2019.
And although Costa scored 20 goals, a terrible second campaign for Conte started when the Italian informed the Spain striker by text last summer he was no longer in the manager’s plans.
After Costa returned to Brazil, Chelsea finally agreed a £59m deal to sell him to his former club Atletico Madrid. But the Blues were furious with Conte’s conduct as he badly hurt their negotiating position – and Costa’s displays at this World Cup show he was undervalued.
Jose Mourinho and his staff were paid off £8.3m following his sacking in December 2016 – after the £23.1m they received in 2007 – a staggering total of £31.4m.
Chelsea want legend Gianfranco Zola to join Sarri as an assistant and overhaul the squad this summer.