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Italian federation unaware of Antonio Conte leaving team - Tavecchio

Italian football federation president Carlo Tavecchio is unaware of any plans Antonio Conte might have to join Chelsea.

The Italy head coach has been linked this week with the Stamford Bridge vacancy that will be created when interim boss Guus Hiddink leaves Chelsea in the summer.

Reports in several English newspapers and have claimed Conte is close to agreeing a deal to join the Blues after Euro 2016, and ESPN FC sources confirmed there have been talks between the two sides.

His contract with the Italian federation -- the FIGC -- expires this year, and the former Juventus coach has given no public indication he is seeking to renew the deal.

Tavecchio, quoted on www.mediagol.it, said: "There is no news about the coach's future. This means that for us nothing has changed."

Conte, 46, was a dynamic midfielder in his playing days for Juventus and Italy, and has since become one of Europe's highest-achieving managers.

He guided Juventus to the Serie A title in 2012, 2013 and 2014 before leaving for the Italy job.

Chelsea put 69-year-old Hiddink in charge in December after Jose Mourinho left the club following a troubled start to the season by the Premier League champions.

The 46-year-old Conte was on Chelsea's shortlist of managerial targets and sources have told ESPN FC that he has now moved ahead of current Juve coach Masimiliano Allegri, Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone, former Chile manager Jorge Sampaoli and Tottenham Hotspur head coach Mauricio Pochettino to become front-runner for the position.

Earlier this month, Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta played down speculation of Allegri leaving to take the Chelsea job, and on Tuesday the Italian's agent, Giovanni Branchini, insisted his client is happy with the Serie A champions.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Tuesday that a deal had already been struck in principle between Chelsea and Conte, with Blues owner Roman Abramovich set to take a final decision on Jose Mourinho's permanent successor next month.