Antonio Conte tempting Roman Abramovich to pull the trigger at Chelsea - but he won't jump ship

Chelsea Manager;Antonio Conte.

It started as an if, slipped quickly into when but now it’s turned more to how. Antonio Conte won’t be in charge of Chelsea next season. That much we know.

Even those with a restricted view at Stamford Bridge can see it. Football’s worst kept secret has been blindingly obvious for months and now it’s about how the Italian hatches his escape plan.

It had been expected the summer would bring to a close two years in west London, ultimately a success returning the Premier League trophy to the capital last season but now it appears he may not see out the next four months.

It’s apparent the club’s board and manager are getting sick and tired of the sight of each other. The sensible thing to do would be to end it amicably, but this is Chelsea after all.

It’s also becoming clear that Conte, via his now weekly unprovoked digs at lack of support in the transfer market and public ill-advised mud-slinging with Jose Mourinho, the Manchester United

manager, is almost begging for the bullet.

A sacking on the CV holds not fears for such a coach held in high regard. Not at Chelsea, where they class the firing of managers as sport. The huntsman could have his gun out following Wednesday night’s disturbing 3-0 home defeat to struggling AFC Bournemouth.

His work here seems to be done. He knows the chances of beating Barcelona over two legs are next to none, and the going could be good to get out before things get progressively worse.

But the build up to Barca seems straightforward. Watford, West Brom and Hull City in the FA Cup.

Then comes the period which could change it all. Games away to the two Manchester clubs sandwiched in between those Champions League ties make for fearful reading. If it blows up over that period, don’t expect Conte to see out the season.

The relationship seems to have deteriorated beyond repair and there seems no desire to fix the non-functioning and fractious association. There’s an acceptance from both sides that things are going to run their natural course, one way or another.

Now it appears to be a case of who blinks first.

Chelsea, keen to save every penny, don’t want to have to fire a man with a year-and-a-half left on his contract. A summer settlement was expected to bring a satisfactory financial outcome for both, but pulling the trigger early leaves the Blues exposed with the negative PR which comes with sacking yet another boss sure to follow the former Juventus coach, 48, out of the door.

So for now, he stays. But who will win the battle of the departure mind-games is yet to be decided.