Chelsea closing in on new deal for manager Antonio Conte already — report

According to Sky Sports, Chelsea are close to agreeing a new contract with head coach Antonio Conte, which could be signed “in a matter of days”, perhaps even as early as before Monday’s FA Cup quarterfinal against Manchester United.

What’s the big rush, especially when previous rumors basically made it a done deal that a new contract will be signed, but only in the summer after the season’s done?

Apparently it’s all the nonsense rumors coming out of Italy, with newly rich Inter Milan looking to poach Conte from Chelsea, supposedly, while their rivals AC Milan possibly looking to do the same should they ever manage to secure their financing from their new Chinese investors. There’s even random noise that Barcelona might look to him as the replacement for the outgoing Luis Enrique.

Still, signing a contract now still seems too premature. While Chelsea are on course for the title, the race is not over yet. Conte wants to build a legacy at Stamford Bridge, which means he’s in it for the long haul. He’s happy here and he has his family moving over in the summer as well. So what’s the rush again?