Antonio Conte looking to PSG as he readies for Chelsea exit

LONDON: Antonio Conte is interested in coaching Paris Saint-Germain as he prepares for what is now regarded as an inevitable exit from Chelsea. The man who delivered Chelsea the Premier League title in his first season at the club is aware of PSG's plans to replace Unai Emery before the start of next season and has been informed that he is a candidate for the position.
Conte has told friends that he regrets not leaving Stamford Bridge after his first season in charge of Chelsea's first team and has no intention of extending his stay into a third campaign. The 48-year-old is also conscious that the rift between himself and Chelsea's board is such that a further downturn in results could see him go the way of every other manager to lead the club to the Premier League title and be sacked.
The infamously irascible Italian has been in conflict with his employers for many months now, with his dissatisfaction triggered by a range of complaints over matters including a failure to recruit either the quality or quantity of players Conte deemed necessary to properly challenge for the Champions League and a lack of access to, and support from, owner Roman Abramovich. Crucially, Conte has allowed his relationship with executive director Marina Granovskaia to deteriorate to the point where an accelerated divorce is now considered the most probable outcome.
According to multiple sources, Granovskaia has grown exasperated with Conte’s attempts to impose his will upon player recruitment and other club matters, as well as what has been described as the Italian's “disrespectful behaviour” towards her. Conte’s position has not been aided by a developing resistance amongst his playing staff to an intense training regime that separates physical preparation from technical and tactical work and includes repetitive drills on attacking shape described by some as “boring”.
For his part, Conte has criticised the attitude of elements of his squad, complaining that certain players no longer appear properly focused on their work. His dark mood has not been not helped by an error-strewn start to the campaign in which domestic and European points have been ceded to Burnley, Arsenal, Manchester City, Crystal Palace and AS Roma, culminating in Tuesday's 3-0 loss to the Serie A side during which Conte said his players “lacked everything”.
“We need to have the will – I repeat – to dig deep,” said Conte post-match. “If we think that only because our name is Chelsea, and the opponent have fear of the name Chelsea, this is not the right way. We have to find the hunger we showed all last season and, this season only sometimes. If you are a great team you must have stability. You must have consistency. At this moment we are struggling a lot to find this type of balance.”
Atletico Madrid's failure to defeat Azerbaijani champions FK Qarabag either or home away has left Chelsea in good position to reach the last 16 of Europe's premier club competition despite the midweek loss to Roma. However the London club faces what goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois labelled a “must-win game” against Manchester United this weekend already nine points adrift of leaders Manchester City.
“Conte would like to see if he can get something from the Champions League,” said a source. “He's still trying hard, but it’s like a game of war with the club. If he is sacked he will feel sorry, but not destroyed - because he already knows that the story is over for him with Chelsea.”
PSG are unimpressed with Emery’s handling of record signing Neymar and are preparing to follow up their unprecedented investment in the Brazil international and Kylian Mbappe with the recruitment of a manager who can help secure the club’s first European Cup. Sporting director Antero Henrique is working on a range of candidates, including his former colleague at FC Porto, Jose Mourinho.

Antonio Conte looking to PSG as he readies for Chelsea exit