Just when it looked like they might be starting the season with two managers, Chelsea have finally confirmed that Antonio Conte has been dismissed from his post.
Conte has now officially left his position with the Blues having spent the last couple of months negotiating the terms of his exit.
Chelsea Football Club and Antonio Conte have parted company. https://t.co/JOpsPD4dmN
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) 13 July 2018
Maurizio Sarri is now waiting in the wings to take over, with a two-year contract said to already be pre-agreed.
The Blues bid farewell to Conte with a heartfelt three-sentence, 61-word statement issued via their official website:
Chelsea Football Club and Antonio Conte have parted company.
During Antonio’s time at the club, we won our sixth league title and eighth FA Cup. In the title winning season, the club set a then-record 30 wins in a 38-game Premier League season, as well as a club-record 13 consecutive league victories.
We wish Antonio every success in his future career.
They didn’t even say thank-you to the man who won them a league title and a cup in his two seasons at the Bridge.
For the record, with Conte’s reported £9million severance package added in, that’s now £85million paid out in compensation settlements to axed managers in Roman Abramovich’s 15 years at Chelsea.
Some going, that.