ANTONIO CONTE is heading out of Chelsea this summer – but his departure is being delayed over a hold-up over cash.
Conte will be given the boot by the Blues this summer despite adding the FA Cup to the Premier League title he won last season.
The Italian is paying the price for Chelsea finishing outside the top four and frequent bust-ups with top brass over the club’s transfer dealings.
Despite Conte’s days being numbered, he’s still in charge almost a fortnight after the 1-0 FA Cup final win over Manchester United at Wembley.
And Journalist Duncan Castles has revealed why.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Transfer Window Podcast, he said: “They have to clear Conte first.
“The only reason he hasn’t gone is they are trying desperately to avoid paying him that year’s salary that’s contained in his contract.
“Chelsea, having been burnt so many times by their bi-annual sacking of managers, began writing clauses into contracts where they were only liable for one years salary.
“And only liable for that salary unless the coach they sacked didn’t take a job elsewhere.”
Castles added: “He wants a club where he feels he had a credible chance of winning the Champions League.
“And the big dispute with Chelsea has been ‘you’re not providing me with the players to do what we both want’ – which is to win the Champions League.
“He tried hard to get into the frame for the Paris St-Germain job but they weren’t interested.
“He had an option for the Italy job but the conditions where nowhere near what he was willing to take on to go back there and sacrifice winning the Champions League for the next two years.”
Conte could decide to take a year out of management and wait for a top job to crop up next year.