Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is pushing to include a hefty release clause in manager Antonio Conte’s new contract to keep his suitors at bay.
Conte has turned Chelsea around this season following his arrival last summer and is on course to win the Premier League title in his first season as manager in England.
However, there have been rumblings that Inter Milan are trying to tempt the Italian back to his homeland at the end of the season and there is also talk that Real Madrid are now looking at Conte as a possible replacement should Zinedine Zidane fail to take the club far in this season’s Champions League.
Chelsea are aware of all the speculation surrounding their manager and though they are confident of holding on to him, the club are not allowing any complacency to creep in.
They are already in talks with Conte’s representatives over a new contract and according to Italian sports daily Tuttosport, Chelsea owner Abramovich wants to include a €50m release clause in a new five-year deal.
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The Chelsea supremo feels that such a hefty figure would dissuade clubs from making an approach for Conte in the near future as they would have to pay a huge sum to get their man.
The Italian will also receive a hefty pay rise and will earn around €15m per year should he agree to sign the new contract with Chelsea.
He would also be entitled to receive €20m as severance pay should Chelsea decide to sack him during the duration of the contract.
