Former Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli has claimed that he the number one choice to become Chelsea’s next manager, but his English wasn’t good enough.
Instead, the Premier League club are expected to announce the appointment of Italy manager Antonio Conte in the coming days.
The Italian FA’s president Carlo Tavecchio has already confirmed he will leave the post after the Euro 2016 tournament.
However, Sampaoli claims that he was Chelsea’s preferred choice but lost out to Conte as he is unable to speak English.
“I had a meeting with Chelsea’s owner and he told me that I was the first option,” he told Radio Vorterix.
“I was about to be their new coach. 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.”
Sampaoli left Chile in January claiming he the Football Federation had not shown him enough respect amid a dispute over his salary. He was initially linked with a move to Brazilian club Flamengo, but at present he remains out of work.
The manager had led the nation to their first ever international tournament by winning the Copa America tournament on home soil last summer.
