Jorge Sampaoli: Why Antonio Conte will be next Chelsea manager

Jorge Sampaoli has revealed that he lost out on the Chelsea managerial role to Antonio Conte due to his inferior English.

The Italy manager is the clear favourite to succeed interim head coach Guus Hiddink in the Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.

The current Blues boss suffered his first domestic defeat since his return to Stamford Bridge in December at Goodison Park on Saturday evening.

Former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku scored twice in the final 12 minutes to secure a 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory for Everton.

Ex-Chile manager Sampaoli revealed that Conte would be taking over the reins at the defending Premier League champions.

“I had a meeting with Chelsea’s owner and he told me that I was the first option. I was about to be their new coach,” Sampaoli told Gazzetta World.

“But then Conte appeared and it became a competition between us.

“It was him or me. I needed some time in order to improve my English but this kind of club doesn’t give you that time.

“The Premier League is definitely the best league in the world and I wanted to coach there. But as I said, it didn’t happen, sadly.”

Chelsea are in tenth place in the Premier League table and 11 points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.

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Hiddink’s side host West Ham United in their next Premier League game at Stamford Bridge in the London derby on Saturday 19 March.