Chelsea will reportedly have to cough up compensation to eight of Antonio Conte’s backroom staff if they sack the Italian.
The former Juventus boss is expected to depart Stamford Bridge after Saturday’s FA Cup Final against Manchester United.
Conte, who has 12 months remaining on his £9million-a-year deal, brought in six of his fellow countrymen upon his arrival in the capital in 2016.
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And he was allowed to add two more to the set-up when Steve Holland left the Blues to become Gareth Southgate’s England No2 last summer.
Roman Abramovich allowed him to bolster his ranks in an attempt to show his support for the boss after he guided Chelsea to the title in his first season in charge.
But the Russian owner, who has been forced to dish out enormous pay-offs for Jose Mourinho and Luiz Felipe Scolari and their teams in the past, is set to be stung again, according to the Daily Mail.
Despite attempts at scaling back on itinerant staff in recent years, the billionaire still faces the prospect of having a first-team set-up that is fiercely loyal to Conte.
The report states that the Italian backroom contingent has become insular around the club and are barely interacting with anyone outside of their inner circle.
The Mail states that this behaviour is upsetting the playing squad and causing the poor atmosphere around the Blues.
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But it also means that if Abramovich pulls the trigger on Conte then his lieutenants will also be axed, which would cost the West Londoners a hefty sum in compensation packages.