CONTE CLINCHER
Italian set to agree new £9.5m deal
ANTONIO CONTE will sign a new £9.5million-a-year Chelsea contract after leading the Premier League champions in today’s FA Cup final.
The Italian manager has committed his future to the club until 2021 after rejecting interest from Inter Milan.
He will take a short break after the final before returning for meetings and plans to move to London with his wife and daughter during the summer, while taking more advanced English lessons.
Conte said: ‘ I have two more years’ contract with the club. Then, if the club give me the possibility to stay here and to extend my contract, for sure I am available to do this.
‘We have the same idea about the future, the way we have to do things to improve the squad and the team.’
A big part of the contract negotiations has been about the players Conte can target to expand his squad and build a team ‘to be ready for the Champions League’.
He said: ‘This year we had a base of 13-14 good players. Next year with the Champions League we have to increase in numbers and in quality. The base is here, now we must put on the cherries.
‘I am happy for this season and I am happy to stay here. I hope to stay for many years.’