Antonio Conte to swap blue of Italy for Chelsea

Antonio Conte has paved the way to take the Chelsea post after it was confirmed the Italy manager would be stepping down following Euro 2016.

The ex-Juventus coach has been with the Azzurri since August 2014 but is set for a return to club management just two years on, once the tournament concludes in France this summer.

Italy play Ireland in Lille in their final Group E game on June 22.

Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio revealed the reasons behind the decision of Conte, who has long been the favourite to assume the reins at Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis.

Speaking ahead of an FIGC congress in Rome, Tavecchio said yesterday: “Antonio Conte has told me that at the end of the European Championship, his experience with us will come to an end.

“Conte feels the lure of the training ground, the daily work of training, and that is understandable.

“Now is the time for us to take stock of the decision of a person who has worked with commitment and sacrifice in his mission to lead our national team’s recovery.

“I will always thank him for that.”

Conte, a former midfielder with Juve who returned to the club as manager in 2011, has reportedly held talks with Chelsea over replacing Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.

An announcement could be made this week, with both parties free to complete a deal to charge Conte with restoring the 2014-15 Premier League champions’ fortunes following a dismal season.

Conte is understood to have been taking English lessons in recent months with a view to facilitating his first foray into overseas management.

If he takes the Chelsea job — replacing interim boss Guus Hiddink — he will bring assistants Massimo Carrera, Angelo Alessio, Paolo Bertelli, Mauro Sandreani, and his brother Gianluca to west London.

While Chelsea appear to have found the man to lead them in the future, Italy will not be able to turn to Roberto Mancini after he ruled himself out of the running to succeed Conte.

The former Manchester City boss is in charge of Inter Milan and, while admitting the chance to one day coach his national team is alluring, he will not walk away from his current position with another year left on his contract.

“My job is rebuild a good squad in Inter,” he told BBC Sport. “Maybe in the future when I finish the contract with Inter, if I will have this option, it could be a good option because to be an international manager is important.

“In this moment it is impossible.”

Tavecchio has said Conte’s successor “will be discussed in due course”; Fabio Capello, Bologna boss Roberto Donadoni, and Leicester’s title-chasing tactician Claudio Ranieri have been mentioned as possible replacements in the Italian press.

The 2006 World Cup winners must tackle Belgium, Martin O’Neill’s Ireland, and Sweden in Euro 2016 Group E, while Conte will this weekend select a squad for upcoming friendly meetings with Spain and Germany.