Antonio Conte has told friends that he regrets not stepping down as Chelsea manager this summer, according to reports.
Having won the Premier League in his first season at Stamford Bridge, the Italian is under pressure after an inconsistent start to the current campaign both domestically and in Europe.
During his time in England, Conte has endured a frosty relationship with Chelsea’s hierarchy, mainly over the club’s transfer business but also due to the handling of Diego Costa this summer.
On Thursday, reports in Spain claimed that Roman Abramovich has already decided to sack Conte and is already considering Chelsea’s next managerial appointment.
And according to Duncan Castles, Conte has no intention of staying on for a third season at Stamford Bridge and has privately admitted that he wishes that he left during the summer.
The report also claims that Conte is aware of Paris Saint-Germain’s interest and would be open to moving to the Ligue 1 leaders.
The Italian signed a new contract in July as a reward for Chelsea’s title victory last season but crucially, the new deal did not extend beyond the summer of 2019.
Conte’s relationship with Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia, who plays a large part in the club’s transfer business, has also deteriorated.
The report alleges that Granovskaia is ‘exasperated’ with Conte’s requests with regards to player recruitment.
Several players had been targeted by Conte before Chelsea’s board overruled his demands, notably Fernando Llorente and Radja Nainggolan.
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