Conte heads for the Bridge

NEW BROOM . . . Antonio Conte will take over as manager of Chelsea on a three-year contract

LONDON. — Italy coach Antonio Conte was named as Chelsea’s new manager yesterday, with the reigning English Premier League soccer champions announcing he has signed a three-year contract that will start following Euro 2016.

Conte becomes the 10th boss to take charge of Chelsea since Roman Abramovich completed his takeover of the club in 2004.

The 46-year-old will officially take control after leading Italy at Euro 2016 in France in the summer.

“I am very excited about the prospect of working at Chelsea Football Club. I am proud to be the coach of the national team of my country and only a role as attractive as manager of Chelsea could follow that,” he told Chelsea’s official website.

“I am looking forward to meeting everyone at the club and the day-to-day challenge of competing in the Premier League.

“Chelsea and English football are watched wherever you go, the fans are passionate and my ambition is to have more success to follow the victories I enjoyed in Italy.

“I am happy we have made the announcement now so everything is clear and we can end the speculation. I will continue to focus on my job with the Italian national team and will reserve speaking about Chelsea again until after the Euros.” Chelsea have been searching for a permanent successor to Jose Mourinho since sacking the Portuguese in November, with current interim boss Guus Hiddink stating on a number of occasions that he would not be staying at Stamford Bridge beyond the end of the season. Conte arrived in London on Sunday afternoon and met with Abramovich, chairman Bruce Buck and director Marina Granovskaia before signing a contract that will keep him at the club until 2019.

Sky in Italy reported that Conte’s representatives had been in talks with Chelsea since February, with initial discussions held with Granovskaia.

Granovskaia said: “We are very pleased to have recruited one of the most highly regarded managers in world football and we are equally pleased to do so before the end of the current season. This aids our future planning.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Guus Hiddink, who has done a great job since he joined us in December.”

Buck added: “Antonio Conte has a record of consistent success in his career as a manager and as a player.

“We look forward to welcoming him to Stamford Bridge and are confident he will find all he needs to maintain that high standard of achievement.”

A summer of upheaval is seemingly inevitable in west London, with the current English Premier League holders languishing 10th with 45 points.

Jose Mourinho, who delivered the title with a winning margin of eight points last season, was sacked in December having seemingly run out of ideas as to how to stop his team vastly under-performing.

Guus Hiddink came in with Chelsea 16th and while he has guided the club away from the relegation zone, this season will end trophyless.

The 46-year-old Conte has been Italy manager since 2014, following Cesare Prandelli’s resignation after Italy crashed out the World Cup in Brazil alongside England in Group D. He has guided Italy to Euro 2016 with an undefeated record in qualifying and they will face Belgium, Ireland and Sweden in the initial group stages.

Prior to taking up a role on the international stage, Conte managed Juventus for three seasons, winning Serie A every year.

He won 83 out of 114 league games with Juventus, losing only seven. His side set a record of scoring in 43 consecutive Serie A matches from February 2013 until March 2014.

In his playing career, Conte was a midfielder who made over 400 appearances for Juventus from 1991, joining from Lecce, until 2004.

He won Serie A five times and also lifted the Champions League in 1996, as well as making 20 appearances for the Italian national side.

Conte was in London on Sunday to finalise terms on his Chelsea contract.

The current Italian national team manager is set to take over at Stamford Bridge following this summer’s European Championship finals, after agreeing to an outline deal with the Blues in February.

Interim Blues boss Guus Hiddink took over when Jose Mourinho was sacked in December , and Roman Abramovich’s trusted inner circle of Michael Emenalo, Marina Granovskaia and Eugene Tenenbaum have helped with the search for a long-term successor.

Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid was the top target, but the Argentine was left unconvinced by Chelsea ’s reluctance to go all-out in his pursuit.

ANTONIO CONTE FACT FILE

PLAYING HONOURS WITH JUVENTUS

Serie A: 1995, 1997, 1998. 2002, 2003

UEFA Cup: 1993

Champions League: 1996

MANAGERIAL HONOURS

Juventus: Serie A (2012, 2013, 2014)

Bari: Serie B (2009)

MANAGERIAL HISTORY

Arezzo: 2006 – 2007

Bari: 2007 – 2009