Confirmed: Chelsea sack Antonio Conte

The Italian’s departure was acknowledged in a three-sentence report on the club’s website, although his exit had been anticipated for months.

Former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri is set to take over at Stamford Bridge, with an announcement expected in the coming days.

Conte guided Chelsea to the Premier League title during his first season in charge, impressing a 3-4-3 system on his new side that few teams could live with as the Blues won a then-record 30 games out of 38.

But his spell in London turned sour that summer when he told Diego Costa that he was not part of his plans for the next campaign – by text message.

It sparked an unravelling which left senior players alienated and Chelsea’s hierarchy furious.

Even the FA Cup final triumph against Manchester United in May, a rare highlight in a dour second season, saw Willian cover Conte up with trophy emojis in a celebration photo.

While the ending was inevitable, neither party wanted to make the first move due to compensation reasons, but with the new season fast-approaching – and Sarri available – the club have belatedly made the decision to axe the Italian.