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Chelsea Siege: Roman Abramovich warns Inter Milan to forget stealing manager Antonio Conte
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH is ready to rebuff Inter Milan's efforts to poach Chelsea manager Antonio Conte this summer.
Abramovich (left) has told Inter Milan owner Zhang (right) to stay away from Conte
Chelsea are said to be under siege from the San Siro giants, who sacked their manager Stefano Pioli yesterday.
The sacking is seen as a tactical move to pave the way for Conte's arrival in Milan.
Express Sport understands Abramovich wants Conte to sign a new contract at the club he joined only last summer.
And Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport claim the Russian billionaire is prepared to fend off Inter's advances.
According to the report, Abramovich will warn Inter's major shareholder Zhang Jindong to stay away from the Italian.
Zhang owns Suning Holding Group, the Chinese company that took over Inter last year and has reportedly pledged a £127million transfer kitty for the club's new manager this summer.
Abramovich has supposedly told Inter to stay away from Chelsea's manager
Corriere dello Sport claim Chelsea are furious with Inter
Gazzetta dello Sport claim Walter Sabatini's arrival at Inter can help them land Conte
Meanwhile another Italian newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport, claim Zhang has put Walter Sabatini in sole charge of securing Conte's signature.
Sabatini was yesterday announced as Inter's new technical co-ordinator. He will also represent Suning's Chinese Super League club, Jiangsu Suning.
Sabatini left Roma last October and has been working with Suning over his new role at the San Siro.
The 62-year-old is said to have had dinner with Conte in London late last month to gauge the manager's willingness to leave Chelsea.
Conte only joined Chelsea last summer
Zhang Jindong wants Conte to come to Inter
Conte, who can win the league with Chelsea tomorrow night at West Brom, is thought to be open to returning to Italy.
The former Juventus head coach has supposedly been offered a head-spinning £250,000-a-week contract to ditch Chelsea for Inter.
But Abramovich, who worked hard to land the manager from his role as Italy head coach last summer, will not give up the fight and a pay increase is a big part of Conte's new contract offer at Stamford Bridge.
It is claimed the boss could be in line to earn £10m a season in a four-year deal.