Why Conte rejected lucrative offer from Real Madrid to await Chelsea sack

macfranc007 July 13, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Akan Anwankwo

- Conte refused a job from Real Madrid before he got sacked at Chelsea

- The ex- Italy coach deliberately wanted to get kicked out of Stamford Bridge

- The 48-year-old is set to receive his pay-off of £9m in one lump sum

Following Antonio Conte's sack at Chelsea, reports say he was so determined to wait to be axed and paid off, even turning down an offer from Real Madrid, Mirror reports.

Conte was relieved of his duties after he conducted training at Cobham for the final time on Thursday morning before saying his goodbyes to players and staff.

A deal to appoint former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri as his replacement edge closer, while the talks with Conte’s camp to finalize the terms of his exit and compensation package remained locked.

Conte will get £9m as pay-off and wants it in one lump sum, but Chelsea's policy is to continue paying sacked managers' salary for up to a year until they find another job.

Either way, the 48-year-old knew he would be in the money if Chelsea pulled the trigger so he refused to resign.

If Conte had quit and taken another job, it would have eased the cost of Chelsea’s latest managerial change.

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The former Juventus boss was one of the managers on Madrid’s shortlist after Zinedine Zidane’s departure in May but he refused.

He decided waiting for his Chelsea pay-off was a better option than receiving nothing from them and taking a job elsewhere.

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Conte led Chelsea to a brilliant title triumph in his first year after inheriting a team that finished 10th the previous season.

He won the FA Cup last season and leaves with the best Premier League record a 65.1% win-rate of any manager in charge at Stamford Bridge for more than 100 games.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had earlier reported Chelsea terminated Antonio Conte's contract just two years after taking the job.

The Italian tactician became the Blues manager in the summer of 2016 and won the English topflight title for them in his debut season.

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