Chelsea are very keen on the idea of appointing a former Tottenham manager to replace Liam Rosenior, according to a new report.
Chelsea set for pivotal next few months
The Blues' season has reached a crossroads.
On one side, Sunday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Leeds United is the one remaining prize in terms of silverware, and the last chance to give a campaign that has fell apart somewhat a semblance of renewed meaning.
On the other, a summer overhaul that will define whether BlueCo's project produces anything coherent in the years ahead.
Liam Rosenior was dismissed on Wednesday.
The end of his three and a half months in charge produced five consecutive Premier League defeats without a single goal — a run not seen at Stamford Bridge since 1912 — and a squad that visibly gave up before the sacking was even announced.
He won 11 of his 23 games in charge and leaves as the fourth permanent manager to be dismissed by BlueCo since their 2022 takeover, the shortest tenure out of any of them.
McFarlane steadies the ship until the summer, and in the meantime Chelsea must identify a new manager.
Andoni Iraola leads the race right now, as per some reports, while Cesc Fàbregas brings emotional appeal, and names ranging from Marco Silva to Julian Nagelsmann have been floated.
However, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato.it, the club have been exploring something altogether more surprising.
Chelsea 'determined' to move for Antonio Conte
Their report, as written by journalist James Auriemma, claims Chelsea are 'determined' to pursue ex-Blues and Spurs boss Antonio Conte.
The 56-year-old is currently managing Napoli, where he won the Serie A title in his first season, but they're currently about to concede the Scudetto to table-topping Inter Milan.
He is also the preferred candidate of the Italian Football Federation for the national team job following the World Cup. His contract runs until June 2027.
Calcio suggest Chelsea are intent on trying to hire Conte, whatever it takes, following a 'crazy' idea from BlueCo.
The history between the two parties is storied.
Conte arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2016 and within a year had produced one of the most remarkable title-winning campaigns the Premier League has ever seen — 30 wins, 93 points, and the second-highest points tally in the competition's history up to that point.
His switch to a 3-4-3 formation mid-season, following a 3-0 loss to Arsenal, sparked a 13-game winning run that left the rest of the division trailing.
He won the FA Cup in his second season, then came the bitter fallout over transfers, public disagreements with the board, and an acrimonious departure in the summer of 2018,
Whether Conte has the appetite to revisit west London with new owners on board — and whether he'd abandon Napoli to do so — is the central question.