Sarri scales back on Conte’s diet restrictions

MAURIZIO SARRI has relaxed his Chelsea predecessor Antonio Conte’s rules on diet and nutrition as well as the stipulation that players had to stay together in a hotel the night before home games, hoping to give them greater freedom as he whittles his squad down to a more manageable size.

The new Chelsea manager has abandoned the practice of the players staying together at the Chelsea Harbour hotel on nights before they have an evening game at Stamford Bridge the following day – a measure that was introduced by Conte and was unpopular with many of the players.

They are now free to stay at home and join up with their team-mates on match day instead.

Sarri has also permitted a wider choice of food in the training ground canteen and in hotels when they are away from home to try to create a better atmosphere than that which existed in the previous 10 months.

STRICT

Conte was very strict on nutrition, with relatively little choice for the players and, while Sarri also feels that there are gains in that area, his priority is to get the squad in the right frame of mind.

Sarri is also busy making decisions on trimming down his first-team squad, the latest departure being midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, signed from Monaco for £40m last summer, who has departed on loan to AC Milan after a disappointing season.

Bakayoko is expected to leave on a permanent deal at the end of the season if his time at Milan is a success with a fee already agreed between the two clubs.

Others expected to leave before the August 31 deadline include Tammy Abraham and Charly Musonda.

Meanwhile, Harry Maguire is close to agreeing a new £75,000-a-week contract with Leicester City.

Nigeria international Wilfred Ndidi is also in talks over a new deal as Leicester move to keep the core pf their squad together. ( © Daily Telegraph, London)