Roman Abramovich is reportedly attempting to use Antonio Conte’s handling of the Diego Costa saga against him, as the Russian continues to search for a way to cheapen Conte’s dismissal.
Conte is thought to be entitled to a fee in the region of €11M if sacked this summer. He still has one-year left to run on his contract with the Blues, though it seems incredibly unlikely at this point that he’ll be given the chance to see it out.
Maurizio Sarri has, for some time now, been considered the frontrunner to replace Conte, but in order to get him through the door, Chelsea first need to release their current manager from his contract.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Abramovich is looking to use the Costa situation against Conte in hope of releasing him on the cheap. It’s unclear whether this is plausible, but Conte has every right to stand his ground.
The Premier League and FA Cup winner is entitled to the cash he would earn during the remainder of his contract. Costa would have also been difficult for any manager to deal with.
If Conte is going to be sacked, pay the money and let him move on with his life.