Chelsea have made initial enquiries about the possibility of securing the services of Leonardo Jardim from AS Monaco to replace Antonio Conte, according to Yahoo Sport.
Jardim is into his fourth season at Ligue 1 Monaco and is apparently attracting the interest of Chelsea, who look keen to replace Antonio Conte after a disappointing season for the Blues.
Chelsea are currently eight points adrift of a top four spot in the Premier League and therefore look set to having to settle for Europa League football next season, missing out on a Champions League spot.
Jardim has had a successful four years at the helm of Monaco, guiding them to a surprise Ligue 1 title last season ahead of Paris Saint Germain.
The 43-year-old is under contract at Monaco until the summer of 2020, having recently extended his contract with the club. His deal with the French side is reported to be worth a staggering €4 million a year but it does have a €7.5 million buy-out clause in it
Jardim spoke about the possibility of leaving Monaco back in November but said that he would only consider a move if it was for a bigger club:
As a matter of principle, I never discuss specific names, I do not need to advertise myself. I have never stayed long in my previous roles because I have always pushed myself to go higher. This idea has not changed – I would only leave here for a club of greater dimensions. I have received offers, but few clubs have the right profile; barely a dozen in Europe. I am happy with Monaco and I respect the contract that I extended for one year.
