Chelsea consider Leonardo Jardim as replacement for Antonio Conte

Chelsea have been impressed with the way Leonardo Jardim has handled the mass exodus from Monaco.

Chelsea have made preliminary questions about the availability of AS Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim as the English Premier League club look to replace Antonio Conte.

Jardim, 43, is in his fourth season at Monaco, who he led to the Champions League semi-finals and an unexpected Ligue 1 title last year.

Skilled in managing the major squad changes required by Monaco’s highly successful transfer policy, Jardim is appreciated by the Monegasque hierarchy who extended his contract by 4 million euros per year after tax until 2020 last summer . This agreement also includes a release clause of 7.5 million euros payable by any club hiring the Portuguese before his tenure.

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Jardim is well settled in Monaco, enjoying both his work and life in the principality, and said he would only consider leaving the Russian club for the opportunity to coach on a bigger stage.

“As a matter of principle, I never discuss specific names, I don’t need to advertise myself,” Jardim said in November. “I never stayed long in my previous roles because I always pushed myself to go higher. This idea hasn’t changed – I would only leave here for a bigger club.

Jardim admitted to receiving offers to leave Monaco.

“I have received offers, but few clubs have the right profile; barely a dozen in Europe. I am happy with Monaco and I respect the contract which I extended for one year.

Jardim, born in Venezuela, began his coaching career in Portugal’s lower leagues while still in his late 20s.

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He led Chaves and Beira-Mar to promotion, Sporting Braga to third place in the Primeira Liga, then guided Olympiakos to a 10-point lead in their victorious 2012-13 Greek championship campaign.

Returning to Portugal for just one season, he took Sporting to an unexpected second place before leaving for Monaco.

Monaco have endured a difficult start to the campaign following the summer sales of Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy and Tiemoue Bakayoko, but are currently on course to finish second behind Paris Saint-Germain in the league and have endured a controversial Coupe de la Ligue . final defeat last weekend.