Conte’s future in further doubt following latest outburst

The loss of a ‘ peacemaker’ in Michael Emenalo has not helped Antonio Conte, with his relationship having become increasingly strained with the Chelsea board in recent weeks.

Emenalo resigned as the Blues technical director in November after previously working closely with 48-year-old Conte behind the scenes at the Premier League club.

Yet his move to Monaco has left Conte in the lurch with the Italian and Russian transfer guru Marina Granovskaia having not always seen eye to eye.

According to reports, Conte’s assistant Carlo Cudicini is acting as an unofficial buffer between the two. Emenalo’s exit has not helped matters.

Emenalo would stay in contact with Conte on an almost daily basis and worked closely with the board and owner Roman Abramovich too, acting as a gobetween.

Following Chelsea’s League Cup semi-final loss to Arsenal, Conte aimed a dig at those in charge by claiming they were behind every single transfer at the club.

“We don’t have many players to make subs,” Conte said. “My first task is to do my job and be a coach. I don’t have a big impact in the transfer market.”

That has not gone down well with the Stamford Bridge bosses.

In the absence of Alvaro Morata, Michy Batshuayi acted as an excellent attacking pivot in the victory over Brighton but it is clear Conte remains unconvinced by the Belgium international.

Batshuayi was again dropped to the bench for the Arsenal clash and when Willian left the pitch early due to injury Conte turned to midfielder Ross Barkley, who had not played all season because of a hamstring injury.

A host of names have been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge this transfer window, in- cluding West Ham United’s Andy Carroll and Stoke City’s Peter Crouch, but there have been no arrivals apart from Barkley.