Chelsea add Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic to shortlist as they search for Antonio Conte successor

In demand | Jokanovic's work at Fulham has won him Premier League admirers
PA
Simon Johnson21 May 2018

Chelsea have added Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic to their list of possible successors to Antonio Conte.

The Italian is expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, despite Chelsea beating Manchester United to win the FA Cup on Saturday.

It is still business as usual at Chelsea, even though owner Roman Abramovich’s visa for the UK has expired and there has been a delay in getting a new one. His absence will not have any impact on Conte’s future or the club’s search for a replacement.

Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri has emerged as the favourite of late and is waiting to see if the Blues will follow up their interest and meet his £7million buy-out clause before it expires at the end of the month.

But Standard Sport understands that Chelsea’s hierarchy have increasingly become admirers of Jokanovic and the job he has done at Fulham.

The former midfielder, who played for Chelsea between 2000-02, has led Fulham to the Championship play-off final, where they will face Aston Villa on Saturday.

Jokanovic has achieved that playing entertaining football on a tight budget. The 49-year-old has 12 months left on his current deal and is determined to lead the club into the Premier League after missing out last term. There is not thought to be a release clause in the Serbian’s contract.

In Pictures | Fulham vs Derby County | 14/05/2018

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Chelsea have considered a number of coaches across Europe should Conte depart. Former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique features prominently but he has put the club off with his wage demands. Monaco’s Leonardo Jardim cannot be ruled out, while Max Allegri claims he wants to stay at Juventus. Another surprise contender is former France and Paris St Germain coach Laurent Blanc, who has been out of work since being fired by the Ligue 1 club in 2016.

Sarri held contract talks with Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis last week but they have appear to have broken down.

De Laurentiis said: “There is no more time for Sarri, he didn’t answer. Ask him. He has always just sent me to Alessandro Pellegrini (the coach’s agent), he never gave me an answer.

Napoli salute their fans at the end of a season where they just missed out on the Serie A title
EPA

“I have to take responsibility. At some point we have to move forward. I’m not saying he will leave. There is a release clause, we’ll see what will happen.”

Sarri, who has also been linked with Monaco and Zenit St Petersburg, has indicated he is leaving Napoli, saying: “In life, everything comes to an end. Sometimes it’s better to finish stories while they are good.”

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has urged the Chelsea board to end the uncertainty over who will be in charge next term, saying: “You need some clarity so that everyone knows what way the club is going forward.”

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