Chelsea expect to appoint Massimiliano Allegri as their new boss this summer – but only after running out of patience with Luis Enrique.
And Starsport understands Allegri was the man they really wanted before they brought in Antonio Conte two years ago.
Conte is on his way out after a nightmare season, but Chelsea have been forced to shelve plans to bring in Enrique as his replacement.
Blues director Marina Granovskaia had been working on a deal to partner Enrique with former Chelsea full back Juliano Belletti as director of football.
But despite weeks of talks, former Barcelona boss Enrique refused to give them any cast-iron commitment.
The 47-year-old is now thought to be the main target of big-spenders Paris St-Germain, who are set to axe Unai Emery at the end of the season.
Arsenal – who could be ready to end Arsene Wenger’s 22-year reign – also inquired about Enrique, but are understood to have been rebuffed.
And a top source claims Allegri is now “nailed on” to join Chelsea, despite signing a new contract last summer to stay at Juve until 2020.
He would become the fifth Italian to coach Chelsea in the Roman Abramovich era, following Conte, Roberto Di Matteo, Carlo Ancelotti and Claudio Ranieri.
Allegri has already revealed that he was already thinking about life after Juventus and wants to leave Italy, saying: “Certainly I will go abroad. In Italy, finished.”