Diego Simeone and Jorge Sampaoli were ahead of Italian
Jorge Sampaoli has revealed he held talks with Chelsea over the vacant managerial job and he was told he was their first option.
The Blues are expected to announce Antonio Conte as their new permanent manager, but according to reports, he was their third choice, behind both Diego Simeone and Sampaoli.
It was revealed yesterday that Simeone was Roman Abramovich‘s preferred choice, but the Atletico Madrid manager committed his future to the La Liga side, ruling himself out of the running.
It has now emerged that Abramovich held talks with the then-Chile head-coach Sampaoli, and he has admitted that he was told he was their first option.
However that all changed when Conte entered the running.
Sampaoli Reveals All
“But then Conte appeared and it became a competition between us — it was him or me.”
Conte is expected to be announced as the new Chelsea boss by the end of the month.
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
