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Antonio Conte could be on his way back to Chelsea to replace Mauricio Pochettino after shock reports in Italy.

Pochettino has come under pressure after a poor season with Chelsea sitting ninth in the Premier League and replacements are reportedly on club chairman Todd Boehly's mind.

Pochettino is under immense pressure at Chelsea
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Pochettino is under immense pressure at ChelseaCredit: Getty

According to La Repubblica in Italy, the Blues chief is in contact with Conte and his representatives about taking over this summer.

Part of the offer includes tempting him with a 'large investment project', handing him huge funds to build a trophy-winning side.

Conte has already coached Chelsea, joining in 2016 and getting sacked two years later in a turbulent period for the club where they won the Premier League but then capitulated.

In the Italian's first season in charge at Stamford Bridge, he led them to Premier League glory - becoming the first side in the division to win 30 games.

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A turbulent second season saw the Blues finish fifth and miss out on Champions League football and, despite winning the FA Cup, he was sacked that summer - costing the club £26.6million in compensation.

But the prospect of Conte returning would be a huge shock, considering the direction that Clearlake Capital want to go with in west London.

Having signed a large number of youngsters to grow and fulfil their potential, that goes against Conte's ethos.

The former Inter Milan and Tottenham boss would rather signed seasons professionals to make an immediate impact rather than develop youngsters into world-class stars.

Conte could make a sensational return to Chelsea
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Conte could make a sensational return to ChelseaCredit: Getty
Boehly has reportedly been in contact with Conte
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Boehly has reportedly been in contact with ConteCredit: Rex

It was one of the reasons why he fell out with the Chelsea board in his second season after publicly berating the lack of backing he received in the transfer market.

In March 2018, he said: “I have great ambition but I don’t have money for Chelsea.

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"The club knows very well what is my idea, what is my ambition. That is very clear.

"When you decide to work with this type of coach, you must understand that you take a coach with great ambition. Not a loser but a winner. And that ambition must always be shared.”

Conte last coached in England at Tottenham, where he lasted two years before an acrimonious exit much like his time at Chelsea.

The 54-year-old has also been linked with jobs in Italy at AC Milan and Napoli.

Whether Chelsea decide to sack Pochettino remains to be seen, who will enter the final year of his contract next season.

Several managers have already been linked to replace the Argentine in case of his departure, including Sporting's Ruben Amorim and even club legend Jose Mourinho.

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