Luis Enrique could price himself out of Chelsea job after earning £16.5million-a-year at Barcelona

LUIS ENRIQUE could price himself out of the Chelsea job with his staggering wage demands, according to reports.

The former Barcelona boss was on a whopping £16.5million-a-year at the Nou Camp – pocketing over £300,000 weekly.

But that was after he had collected two La Liga titles, the Champions League and three Copa del Reys.

And claim the Blues board and Roman Abramovich are unwilling to match the Spaniard’s last pay packet.

Antonio Conte won the Premier League title in his debut season in 2016-17 with Chelsea and was rewarded with an improved – but not extended – contract.

The Italian had his wages boosted from £6.5m to £9.5m-a-year, making him around £180,000-a-week and the highest paid boss in their history.

And the club is understandably not interested in offering the next boss an improvement on that huge figure – at least until he has won something at Stamford Bridge.

Even Manchester City’s League-Cup winning boss Pep Guardiola and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho do not earn what Enrique was earning in his last post.

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Conte – who has conceded his side is struggling to secure a crucial top-four finish – is a heavy favourite to return to his former job as Italy boss.

Italy chief Alessandro Costacurta told Gazzetta dello Sport as saying: “I haven't chosen yet, but I think Conte is the one who could do the best.

“I’ll definitely talk with him in a couple of months.

“He has already shown he knows how to be national team coach while the others haven't yet.

“That doesn't mean I wouldn't be happy with Mancini or with Ancelotti, although [Ancelotti] seems to have removed himself from consideration.”