Antonio Conte has decided to take legal action against Chelsea after being sacked last week.
Reports revealed that at the time the Italian coach was considering suing the club in order to get the £9.5milion owing for the final year of his salary, plus other damages, according to Standard Sport.
But, as explained, Chelsea are taking a case against Conte citing ‘a series of irregular behaviours’, including informing striker Diego Costa via a text message in June last year that he was no longer part of his plans and to find a new club.
The Spain international made the message public and Chelsea claimed it cost them millions in transfer revenue as clubs knew he was available.
Costa eventually joined Atletico Madrid for £57.2m in September, but Chelsea are convinced they would have got at least £20m more than that but for the text given the forward is considered one of the best in the world.
Conte is believed to be furious Chelsea made him return to pre-season training before finally dismissing him last week to make way for the arrival of new boss Maurizio Sarri.
The Italian, who spent just two years with the Blues, was widely reported to be facing the sack for much of last season after the breakdown in his relationship with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and the club’s hierarchy.
But Conte was made to wait 55 days after Chelsea’s FA Cup final win over Manchester United before he was axed.
After winning the Premier League in his first season at Stamford Bridge, Conte presided over a dismal collapse last term, with Chelsea finishing fifth and missing out on a place in the Champions League.
Conte is believed to have received a £9 million pay-off for the year he had remaining on his Chelsea contract, yet the Times reports the former Juventus coach is keen to get additional compensation.
That could trigger an ugly legal battle, with Conte’s lawyers reportedly set to claim the west London club cost their client a year of his career, as all the top management jobs in Europe have been filled.
Real Madrid were believed to be interested in Conte after Zinedine Zidane left in May, while the Italy job was also available earlier this year.
The Times also reported Chelsea have threatened to withhold Conte’s contract settlement due to repeated criticism of his employers over their failure to back his transfer demands.
