Deschamps hints he could stay at Monaco

Monaco coach Didier Deschamps has insisted he has no deal to move to another club despite persistent reports linking him to Juventus and Chelsea.

Reports in Italy on Saturday said Juve would announce after Wednesday’s Champions League final that Deschamps would be the successor to Marcello Lippi who has stood down as coach to the Turin club.

Deschamps, a former Juve and Chelsea player, has also been linked with the London club but, speaking to French TV channel TF1’s Telefoot programme on Sunday, he hinted he could yet stay in the Principality.

“I have no deal with anyone at the moment,” Deschamps told the programme. “Until Wednesday I am concentrating only on the Champions League final and I still have a year left on my contract.

“There will be very many elements to take on board. I am the coach of Monaco and I have no other position at the moment.”

Monaco president Pierre Svara was even more confident that Deschamps would stay at the club that will play Portuguese champions Porto in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday for the title of European club champions.

Svara, also speaking to Telefoot, said: “He (Deschamps) has a year left on his contract.

“We are in advanced negotiations after three or four weeks of talks.

“I am 99% certain he will stay at the club even if there remains a one per cent chance he will go.”

Deschamps, France’s captain in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 teams, has become one of the hottest coaching properties in Europe after leading the Principality club to the final.

Ironically his Porto counterpart Jose Mourinho has also been linked with the Chelsea job although for the moment Claudio Ranieri still remains in charge at Stamford Bridge.