CHELSEA might need to double their £3.5million offer if they want Maurizio Sarri to replace Antonio Conte as boss.
Reports in Italy say Napoli are demanding the full £7m release clause for Sarri – even though they have already appointed Carlo Ancelotti as his successor.
Italian Sarri, 59, guided Napoli to runners-up spot in Serie A behind Juventus,
He is under contract until 2020 and cannot jojn another club until his release clause finishes at the end of this month.
The Corriere dello Sport say Chelsea offered around £3.5m but Napoli instantly rejected this.
Former Empoli and Perugia chief Sarri guided his home town club to finishes of second third and second in his three seasons before leaving on May 23.
And it was reported on Friday that he held a seven-hour meeting with Blues owner Roman Abramovich.
Conte insisted after Chelsea’s 1-0 FA Cup final victory over Manchester United that he hoped to stay.
MAD MONEY Gareth Bale ‘wants Manchester United move but must lower wage demands to secure Old Trafford switch’
But that seems increasingly unlikely.
Abramovich was unhappy at the way the 2016-17 Premier League champions ended up a tame fifth this time around.
And Conte has let his frustration be known over the Blues’ lack of big buys in the last two transfer windows.
Sarri is the strong favourite to succeed him, not least because Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino has just signed a new five-year deal with Tottenham after they finished fifth.
Leave a comment