Chelsea refuse to comment on rumours of £9m payout for Conte

Chelsea have declined to comment on the rumour that their former head coach Antonio Conte has been paid the full £9 million ($11m) compensation claim that he has been fighting for since being sacked last summer.

Conte has sought to secure the full payment of the last remaining year of his salary, but Chelsea have fought his claim citing a breach of contract in his final year as the club's first team boss.

The 49-year-old has spent almost 12 months away from the dugout.

He was relieved of his duties at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2018 as fellow countryman Maurizio Sarri, who has seen his future come into question in recent weeks, made his way to west London.

Conte left Chelsea on the back of an FA Cup triumph, and with a Premier League title to his name, but was considered to be surplus to requirements.

The Times of London claims that Conte has won the full amount that he has been fighting for after Goal last confirmed that a three-person Premier League tribunal was held in March to try to resolve the issue.

The tribunal ended long ago but talks have been ongoing with the threat of legal proceedings reaching the High Court meaning that both parties could have had to fight it out with full transparency in the British legal system.

Conte decided not to seek other employment for as long as his previous contract was due to run as it would have meant he was unable to fight for the full £9m that he would have been paid as Chelsea manager.

He has recently publicly admitted that he is back looking for work next season and is thought to be close to joining Inter, who are expected to part ways with Luciano Spalletti.

The legal dispute has lasted for almost a year between both parties. Conte's text message to tell Diego Costa that he is no longer wanted, which ultimately was part of the reason leading to the forward’s £57m exit to Atletico Madrid in January 2018, is cited as one of the examples of misconduct in his role.

Conte has split his time between London and Italy in his months out of football.