Allegri: Chelsea links end now

Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri hopes speculation linking him with Chelsea will end “once and for all” with Antonio Conte reportedly in talks with the Premier League champions.

Allegri has regularly been mentioned as a long-term successor to the sacked Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge with Guus Hiddink in charge until the end of the season.

But his fellow Italian Conte now appears the front runner with some reports suggesting a deal will be announced over the next week.

Asked if he was pleased Chelsea were looking elsewhere, Allegri told reporters on Saturday: “Well, I have heard about [Chelsea’s reported interest in Conte], and I say this so that we end this discussion once and for all: nobody knows what I have got in my mind.

“Hence, when I hear that Allegri goes to Chelsea, Allegri goes here and there…I say that Allegri decides where he wants to go.

“I am happy that I am at Juventus. We are working in order to improve this team and to win a fifth consecutive league title which would be extraordinary. The guys would remain in Juve’s history.

“We are working to reach the Coppa Italia final for the second successive season, and we are also working in order to try to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.

“We can’t do more than this because these are all the games we can play.”

Juve are a point clear at the top of Serie A ahead of Sunday’s home game with Inter.