Sacking Antonio Conte cost Chelsea 26.6 million pounds

LONDON: Sacking Italian manager Antonio Conte in July 2018 cost Chelsea 26.6 million pounds in compensation and legal fees, according to the Premier League club's accounts for the 2018-19 season.

Conte joined the West Londoners in 2016, and won the league in 2017, but was dismissed with 12 months to run on his contract.

The accounts, published on the Companies House website, said exceptional items of 26.6 million pounds related to "changes in respect of the men's team management and coaching staff, together with associated legal costs."

Former Italy midfielder Conte is now coaching Serie A side Inter Milan.

Exceptional items in the previous year of 6.0 million related entirely to the buyback of retail, licensing and sponsorship rights.

The accounts also showed Chelsea received 247 million pounds of increased funding from Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich in the year covered. Agencies

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