MAURIZIO SARRI has rejected a £5.2 million a year offer to manage Zenit St.Petersburg as he holds out for Chelsea.
Sarri is a free agent after being replaced at Italian side Napoli by Carlo Ancelotti.
Zenit have given Sarri until the weekend to make a decision on his next destination but sources in Italy say he is waiting to see whether Chelsea make their move for him in the meantime.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has gone on holiday but faces a summer of massive uncertainty over his future because of his fractious relationship with club bosses.
And Sarri, 59, is ready to step in should Conte get the bullet in the next few days even though he has a year left on his Chelsea contract.
Conte is now away with his family but admitted last weekend he will not change his ways just to have an easy life at Stamford Bridge.
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Sarri is highly regarded as a tough coach but is also viewed as being similar to Conte with his strong will and rough and ready approach to his players.
Conte is under pressure despite winning the FA Cup and Premier League in two seasons with Chelsea.
Last weekend Brazilian winger Willian plastered over the manager’s image in a celebration photo at Wembley with three trophies and then posted it on Instagram.
NO NAP-PING Ex-Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti asks Napoli chairman Aurelio Di Laurentiis to sign Karim Benzema, Arturo Vidal and David Luiz
He has also fallen out with defender David Luiz and Brazil-born striker Diego Costa.
Former Chelsea boss Ancelotti has signed a two year deal with Napoli.
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