Could Antonio Conte sensationally walk out on Chelsea this summer?

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The relationship between Antonio Conte and the board at Chelsea has never seemed perfect from the outside looking in.

Over the last 24 hours, there have been a number of reports suggesting that problems are emerging once again. Sky Italia report that he is frustrated by the club’s lack of investment in the transfer market, ahead of their return to the Champions League.

The Italian has yet to sign a new deal with his current contract set to expire in 2019. Although Blues’ fans won’t be too worried at this stage, the continued rumours about his long-term future are concerning and need to be taken seriously.

What is causing the tension in the relationship?

The main problem appears to lie with the recruitment policy of the club, with Conte believing that the board aren’t prepared to back him with the substantial funds that he believes are required. It is understandable to think that Chelsea already have a talented squad and that is true to an extent, but there are areas that need to be addressed.

During the most recent campaign, Conte switched to a 3-4-3 formation and it was a huge success, as they went on a long unbeaten run and were the dominant team in the league. However, the Italian relied on a small group of players with only 13 players managing more than ten starts in the league. The champions need to have a deeper squad and mould it around the 3-4-3 formation. This means having more players to challenge for a first-team place.

Take last season, Cesar Azpilicueta was the first choice left-sided centre-back and the backup right wing-back. Meanwhile, Cesc Fabregas was the rotational option for both centre midfield roles and Willian offered competition on both sides of the attack. These squad building problems need to be addressed. It is correct to believe the first team doesn’t need a lot of investment, but the squad does.

As a highly ambitious manager, Conte will recognise the importance of building from a position of strength. The Premier League is competitive and the rest of the top six will be investing with the ambition of climbing above Chelsea. If the Italian doesn’t believe that he will be given the backing to retain his title, he is the type of character that won’t be afraid of walking away.

The current problems may not entirely be one-sided as the board are believed to be unhappy with Conte’s treatment of Diego Costa, as they want to keep the Spanish international at the club. By making it clear that the striker isn’t in his plans, he has weakened the club’s negotiating position and that won’t have pleased the men upstairs at Stamford Bridge.

Will he leave?

Over the last 12 months, it has become clear that Conte is a political manager, who isn’t afraid of using the press as a vehicle to get what he wants. He knows that he is in a strong position after delivering a league title and it would be unwise for the club to let him leave, as it would send out the wrong message about the ambition at Stamford Bridge.

For that reason, it is difficult to see him leaving this summer and a more realistic course of action will be for the club to give him what he wants. As an aggressive character, Conte was always going to be a difficult manager to employ and he will have to be careful in the future, especially if results begin to worsen, as Roman Abramovich won’t enjoy his battles with the coach being played out in the press.

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