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Sarri wants quick decision from Chelsea on his future with Juventus ready to move for Blues manager
Juventus want to lure the former Napoli boss from Stamford Bridge this summer
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MAURIZIO SARRI wants a quick decision on his Chelsea future — with Juventus ready to pounce.
Sarri is the Italian giants’ No 1 target after cooling their interest in ex-Blues boss Antonio Conte.
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Stamford Bridge chief Sarri, 60, is preparing his team for next Wednesday’s Europa League final against Arsenal but his future is uncertain after failing to challenge for the Premier League title.
Juventus are now looking to lure him back to Serie A following his three impressive years at Napoli before his move to the Premier League last summer. Juve have pinpointed Sarri as their choice to replace axed Max Allegri, who leaves on Sunday.
Conte was the frontrunner for a return to Turin after three glittering seasons as a coach and a trophy-laden spell as a player.
But that now appears unlikely as Juve megastar Cristiano Ronaldo is believed to be against a move for Conte, 49, who is approaching a year out of football.
Sarri’s reputation is still high despite failing to challenge for the title in his first season in England and questions over his ‘Sarri-ball’ tactics.
INJURY BOOST
Fans turned on Sarri during the win at Cardiff in March and he did not join in the lap of appreciation in the final home game of the season.
Meanwhile, Sarri has been boosted by N’Golo Kante’s return to training ahead of their Euro showdown with the Gunners in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The inspirational midfielder is now odds-on to be fit after reporting back for duty yesterday ahead of schedule.
He has made a rapid recovery from a hamstring strain which had threatened to wreck the finale of his season.
Sarri had feared he may have to play the biggest game of his career without one of his most dependable stars.
The manager admitted it was his mistake to start Kante in their final home Premier League match against Watford on May 5, just three days after he played the full 90 minutes of the Europa League semi-final first leg in Frankfurt.
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The Frenchman pulled up lame just ten minutes into the Hornets clash — but has managed to recover in time.
Injury-ravaged Chelsea also lost midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek last week with an Achilles rupture during a Holocaust Memorial match in the US.
Winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is out with a similar problem. Both players have needed surgery.
But Kante’s return is good news for the Blues as Sarri bids to win the first trophy of his managerial career.
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