Antonio Conte could be set for a return to Italy (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is reportedly a target for AC Milan as they weigh up changing their manager after a poor start to the season by Vincenzo Montella.

Milan gave Montella plenty of money to spend on new big-name signings during the summer, with the likes of Leonardo Bonucci, Andre Silva and Hakan Calhanoglu arriving at the San Siro.

After a difficult few years, many felt the Rossoneri would now be in a better position to challenge for Serie A once again, or at least qualify for the Champions League.

However, Montella’s side currently sit seventh in the table, with three defeats from their first seven games putting them nine points behind league leaders Napoli already.

AC Milan are reportedly interested in the Chelsea manager (Picture: Getty)

Conte hinted last week that he was keen on a move back to Italy, and this has reportedly alerted Milan as they line up a move for the 48-year-old.

‘I miss Italy, that’s beyond doubt, so once I have had some important and life-changing experiences, I will be back,’ Conte said last week, following rumours that he had become unsettled at Stamford Bridge over the summer.

According to Corriere dello Sport, Milan are also still looking at reappointing Carlo Ancelotti after his recent sacking by Bayern Munich, but Conte is their top priority.

The Blues boss was a big success in Serie A with previous club Juventus, winning three Serie A titles before also lifting the Premier League in his first season in England.

Vincenzo Montella hasn’t got off to the best of starts this season (Picture: Getty)

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Still, Chelsea may face a fight to keep the Italian tactician after some disagreements over transfers during the summer, which saw a number of top targets missed out on.

Romelu Lukaku, Alex Sandro and Virgil van Dijk were among those Chelsea were seemingly not quite ready to pay up for, while Bonucci ended up at Milan over the Blues as they were unsure over spending significant money on players aged 30 or over.

Conte eased some of the speculation over his future by signing a new contract, though he only agreed a pay rise rather than extending the length of his stay in west London.

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