Abramovic set to make Conte Chelsea’s highest ever paid manager + £200m war chest
Roman Abramovich is poised to make Antonio Conte the highest paid manager in Chelsea’s history and bankroll a £200million summer spend as reward for winning the Premier League title.
Chelsea are also confident that Eden Hazard will sign a new £300,000-a-week contract after holding positive talks with the Belgian over his future in the days leading up to Friday night’s title success at West Bromwich Albion.
Head coach Conte, who has suggested that he will stay at Stamford Bridge, wants to add greater depth and versatility to his Chelsea squad for next season, so he can swap between the 3-4-3 formation that has been so successful and his favoured 4-2-4.
Chelsea owner Abramovich is expected to grant Conte his wish in the transfer market and also reflect the current going rate for top managers in an improved new contract.
Conte’s current deal is worth £6.5m-a-year, less than Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klopp are paid, while Mourinho’s last contract at Chelsea earned him £7.5m-a-year.
Inter Milan are willing to pay Conte £12.5m-a-year deal to quit Stamford Bridge, but Abramovich will offer the 47-year-old the biggest salary for a manager in Chelsea’s history and ensure he leapfrogs both Klopp and Wenger in the earnings list.
Chelsea are adamant that Real Madrid target Hazard will not be sold in the summer and are understood to have told the 26-year-old that he can achieve all of his ambitions at Stamford Bridge during an encouraging meeting.
With the club willing to hand him a new £300,000-a-week contract, Hazard gave Chelsea further reason for optimism by giving an interview in which he claimed he could win the Ballon d’Or with his current employers.
Chelsea already have £60m sitting in the bank from the January sale of Oscar and, together with the return of Champions League football next season, the club can afford to give Conte the funds to significantly boost his squad.
Striker Romelu Lukaku, who Everton value at £100m, is a top target, along with central defender Virgil van Dijk and midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko. Conte is also looking for a full-back and a wide player to allow him to play a 4-2-4 when he so wishes.
