Chelsea have reportedly indicated that they do not intend to pay the £7m release clause to secure the managerial appointment of Maurizio Sarri.
For a number of weeks, it has been claimed that the Blues hope to replace current head coach Antonio Conte, and Sarri has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed his Italian compatriot.
Sarri has already left Napoli but for an appointment to be made ahead of next season, a release clause must be paid, and the figure will rise above £7m if a deal is not reached by May 31.
Chelsea have allegedly already agreed terms with Sarri but according to CalcioNapoli24, the Premier League side are yet to make any formal offer for the 59-year-old and appear unwilling to do so.
The West Londoners will have to pay up the remaining 12 months of Conte's contract if the two parties go their separate ways, and the Chelsea hierarchy are said to be against paying a combined total of £15m to bring in Sarri.
The report suggests that lawyers representing Sarri are assessing whether it is possible for him to remove himself from the current conditions of his association with Napoli.
Darren Plant
