Chelsea are ready to delay Maurizio Sarri’s exit and keep Juventus waiting to appoint the Italian as their new manager.
The Blues are in no rush whatsoever to finalise Sarri’s deal and are prepared to let the current uncertainty still continue.
While Juventus are looking to secure Sarri without paying compensation, Chelsea are refusing to budge and won’t let him leave until their demands are met. The Italian has two years left to run on his contract.
That has contributed to the hold up since Sarri agreed a three-year £6.2m-a-season deal to become Juventus’s new coach and told Chelsea he wants Italy return.
Chelsea showed how determined they can be in negotiations last summer, no matter the repercussions, when they refused to sanction Antonio Conte’s exit until mid-July even though the writing had been on the wall for the Italian for months.
Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici was believed to be in London on Wednesday to push the negotiations for Sarri forward.
Conte’s situation at Stamford Bridge went unresolved throughout the close season and he was forced to return to begin Chelsea’s pre-season before being allowed to leave.
Sarri’s appointment as his successor was confirmed a day after Conte’s sacking and left the new coach only 22 days to prepare for the Community Shield against Manchester City.
Almost twelve months on, Sarri has informed the Blues of his desire to leave the club and moved out, taking all his belongings out of his Surrey home and back to Italy.
But Chelsea are in it for the long haul and wants to let the situation drag on if necessary and won’t give Sarri the freedom to go until the deal is done.
