Chelsea have stepped up their interest in Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri after he made it clear that he wants to leave Italy at the end of the season.
The 59-year-old had emerged as a contender for the Stamford Bridge hotseat, but he is now Roman Abramovich's No 1 choice to replace Antonio Conte.
Conte, who won the Premier League title during his debut season, is expected to leave the west London club following a disappointing campaign which has been overshadowed by public rows with the board and disagreements with players.