Napoli head coach Antoni Conte is under consideration to replace Liam Rosenior at Chelsea, according to reports in Italy.
Rosenior lost his job on Wednesday after five defeats without scoring, and the Blues have placed Calum McFarlane in temporary charge until the summer.
However, the club’s leadership group are already looking at possible permanent appointments, and Calciomercato.it claim they are “thinking about the return” of Conte.
The Italian spent two seasons in charge of the London club between 2016 and 2018, winning the Premier League in his first season and the FA Cup in his second.
Conte’s contract at Napoli expires at the end of next season, but there have been rumours he could leave before then, with the 56-year-old having also been linked with the Italy job in recent days.
Conte is a strict disciplinarian
It is believed a player revolt, mainly from the Spanish-speaking contingent, forced the club into sacking Rosenior. The 41-year-old failed to command sufficient respect in the dressing room, and it was felt there was no way for him to regain control.
Conte’s reputation and style mean there would be no chance of a repeat under his management. He is a fiery character who doesn’t suffer fools gladly.
However, he does come with his own baggage. If he doesn’t get what he wants, he is liable to vent his fury in the media, while his preference for experienced, older players runs in complete opposition to the club’s current transfer policy.
Who are the frontrunners to take the Chelsea job?
You can read about the five main contenders here. These names have all been listed by trusted journalists at the BBC.
In terms of the bookies, the favourite is currently Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola. No betting firm has odds for Conte at the moment, which suggests no one considers him a serious candidate!
Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here
