There has been no “concrete contact” between Chelsea and former manager Antonio Conte about replacing Mauricio Pochettino in the dugout at Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

It has been rumoured that the Italian, who managed the Blues when they last won the Premier League title in 2017, could make a return to the London club but, writing in his Daily Briefing column, Romano said:

“There’s also been a story about the possibility of Antonio Conte returning to Chelsea as manager, while he’s also been linked as a candidate for another of his former clubs Juventus. As things stand, I’m not aware of any concrete contact, Conte is waiting for the right proposal but there is zero to report with these two clubs right now.”

Conte has been out of work since he was sacked by Tottenham almost a year ago. He has been linked with a number of clubs in Italy, including Juventus and AC Milan.

Reports suggest that he would prefer to manage in his homeland again, but it is believed he would consider a return to the Premier League if the right offer came along.

Pochettino’s position at Chelsea is under scrutiny

With 11 games to go, the Blues are in the bottom half of the table. That is not a position the club expected to find themselves in when Mauricio Pochettino was appointed last summer.

It is believed that Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali set a goal of qualifying for Europe at the beginning of the campaign. That aim could still be achieved with it now looking likely that 8th place in the Premier League will be enough for a Europa Conference League spot.

However, even if that minimum target is reached, there are still many who question whether Pochettino is the right man to take this team forward.