He’s fed up with the rumours of his future and the continued silence from the club. Conte wants backing or sacking. He was given signings the club wanted rather than his wishes but accepts it is part of football today.

He’s still the darling of most fans and wants nothing to add to the club’s success. Conte also knows Chelsea have won trophies despite chopping and changing managers but won’t go without a fight. He wants trust. Which is sadly lacking from the club.

He still has unfinished business saying: “In my opinion, you continue to work with a manager or coach not because of what he achieves in one season, but because you trust in him. Then you build something with him.

“But it doesn’t mean you have to win something, because that’s not simple. Not easy. Especially in England, it’s not simple. “But in my vision, you can win but, at the same time, the club might not be happy to stay with you. For this reason, it’s right to send the coach away. “At the same time, you can trust in a coach and his work and continue with him even if you don’t win, and try and build something important. There are two ways. There is a stupid way and an intelligent way.

“This is my opinion. At the same time, I have great respect for every opinion. If the club decides to send me away, I don’t know when, it’ll be because they’re not happy with my work.”

Real Madrid ‘plotting world record £100m bid for Chelsea star’ – and it’s not Eden Hazard

Real Madrid are reportedly plotting a move to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Thibuat Courtois instead of Manchester United’s David De Gea. Having mustered a disappointing attempt at the defence of their La Liga crown this season, there’s expected to be plenty of transfer activity at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer as they look to avoid a repeat of Barcelona running away with the title next year.

The goalkeeping position look set to be one area in which Los Blancos will attempt to strengthen and they have been tipped to reignite their interest in De Gea after coming close to securing the Spaniard’s signature during the 2015 summer transfer window.

However, that move broke down infamously becasue of a fax machine and now the 27-year-old appears settled at Old Trafford after signing a new long-term contract – which means the Champions League holders will have to switch their targets to another Premier League stopper.
“My personal situation is related to the city of Madrid, it’s known,” said Courtois to Belgian publication Sport. “My two children live there with their mom. I have my daughter every day on Facetime. She often tells me that I miss her. My son is still too small to communicate like that.

“Whenever I have the opportunity, I try to make a return trip to Spain. As a situation, it is not always easy. “Yes, my heart is in Madrid. It is logical and understandable. What is certain is that I will one day return to Madrid,” added the goalkeeper. “I love Spain, I loved this city, I spent three wonderful years there.

Jose Mourinho says he deserves best-behaved award

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he should win an award for his behaviour on the touchline. The Portuguese coach has been sent to the stands on several occasions during his managerial career following clashes with fourth officials.

However, Mourinho says he has changed his ways and feels he is now one of the Premier League’s best behaved managers. “I’m fully committed to win the award this season of the best-behaved manager on the touchline,” Mourinho said.

“I’m serious – I prepare myself, I’m really happy. I’m not free of losing my temper, my control, in one match. I’m not perfect. “There are so many awards – performance of the week, manager of the month and this and that – they should give one to the guy that behaves best on the touchline and it should be the fourth official to vote. I’m pretty sure that I would win.”

Mourinho has been sent to the stands once this season – during the 1-0 win at Southampton on 23 September. The United boss had encroached on to the pitch in the final few seconds of the game as he tried to get his players back into position. He added: “I didn’t create one problem to one fourth official on a touchline, apart from my red card at Southampton when I put a foot on the pitch. “I’m not going from the Bad One to the Perfect One, no way, but I try, I make an effort and I’m happy with the way things are going.”

Alexandre Lacazette slammed by Match of the Day pundit after Tottenham loss
ARSENAL star Alexandre Lacazette was slammed by Dion Dublin for his display against Tottenham. Arsene Wenger gave club-record signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the nod over Lacazette, but he made little impact for Arsenal.

Lacazette was forced to wait until the 65th minute to come on as a substitute for Henrikh Mhitaryan. The Frenchman spurned two clear chances to grab an unlikely equaliser, one of which came when he was sent through clean on goal with just Hugo Lloris to beat.

Harry Kane had initially given the home side the lead four minutes after the restart after he headed in Ben Davies’ cross. And Dublin thinks Lacazette is shot of confidence.

Discussing the chances Lacazette missed, Dublin told Match of the Day: “It was only 1-0. Wenger was incredibly positive with his substitutions. Welbeck, Iwobi and all Lacazette came on. “Lacazette went with his side foot, but you have to go with your laces. “We saw the way Kane did it because of his confidence, but Lacazette has no confidence at all otherwise he would have gone with his laces. “He should have slid it under the goalkeeper or go with the outside of his boot or left foot, but he got it all wrong. “It’s a confidence thing. If he has more games and more starts, that’s a goal.” Arsenal are now six points adrift of the top four spots after their defeat.
Christian Eriksen permutation
Liverpool could launch a shock move for Tottenham star Christian Eriksen, according to reports. Liverpool are set to splash the cash this summer with the Reds still in need of a replacement for Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho quit Anfield last month, signing for Barcelona and his old club are yet to bring in someone to fill the void left by his departure. And the Liverpool Echo say Tottenham’s Eriksen is an outside bet, with the Denmark international currently in fine fettle. Eriksen has established himself as one of the best players in the Premier League during his five years on these shores.
Roberto Firmino huge claim
Roberto Firmino insists he’s at Liverpool for the long haul. The Brazil striker has been in great form at Anfield, scoring 11 Premier League goals in 22 games.

But Jurgen Klopp has so much faith in the 26-year-old he allowed Daniel Sturridge to leave on loan without replacing him in January. And Firming wants to stay at Liverpool ‘for years to come’. “Liverpool are one of the greats in Europe and being able to be part of the history of such a great club is gratifying to me,” he told Brazilian publication Esporte. “I’m very happy here at Liverpool and I do not see myself out of that club for years to come.”
Jack Butland battle
Liverpool and Arsenal are poised to battle it out to sign Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland in the summer, reports claim. The Reds could embark on a spending spree, as they still have plenty of money to put to use following the £142million sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona last month.

As far as Butler is concerned, the Stoke shot-stopper aspires to play for a bigger club. And according to the Sun on Sunday, Klopp wants to make Butland his No 1. The report suggests Arsene Wenger is also keen to secure a deal for Arsenal.

The Sun on Sunday add Wenger is aware that Petr Cech can’t go on forever and he wants a steady pair of hands between the posts.
Joel Matip on Virgil van Dijk
Joel Matip has described Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk as the “complete defender”. Liverpool splashed out a world record £75million fee for a defender to lure Van Dijk to Anfield last month. Matip faces a battle with Dejan Lovren for a place in Jurgen Klopp’s team alongside the Holland international.

But Liverpool ace Matip said: “He is a great person. We can laugh together – he is good for the team and with his quality he will help the team.

“We now have more players at centre-back, so we can change if somebody is not in the best shape and there is no loss of quality. “He will help the team, he has done it from the beginning. He is a complete defender.
Coutinho and Van Dijk among most overpriced deals in January transfer window – CIES study

PHILIPPE COUTINHO finally left Liverpool for Barcelona in January, but did the Spanish giants overpay for their main transfer target? Coutinho moved from Liverpool to Barcelona for £142million at the start of the January transfer window, ending months of speculation surrounding the Brazilian.

However, new research from CIES Football Observatory suggests the Catalan club significantly overpaid for Coutinho and that his real worth is much lower. The latest study takes into account previous transfer fees, contract lengths and on-pitch performances in order to estimate an accurate transfer value.

Coutinho is not the only star who moved for more than their estimated worth, so which other clubs have potentially lost out on a large amount of cash in January?
Today’s Premier League games….

Newcastle United v Manchester United

A thigh strain permitting, Islam Slimani hopes to makes his Newcastle debut. Can the Algeria striker and Leicester loanee help Rafael Benítez put an old foe, José Mourinho, in his place? Might Slimani be capable of scoring the goals needed to ensure Benitez’s team avoid relegation? Will Mourinho win a Premier League game at St James’ Park for the first time? Can Mo Diamé continue to impress in central midfield for the Tynesiders? Is it really a little over two decades since Newcastle and Manchester United were vying for the Premier League title?

Venue St James’ Park
Last season n/a
Referee Craig Pawson
This season G17 Y63 R4 3.94 cards/game

NEWCASTLE
Subs from Dubravka, Elliot, Manquillo, Mbemba, Haïdara, Merino, Hayden, Ritchie, Murphy, Joselu, Gayle

Doubtful Slimani (thigh)
Injured Gamez (ankle, unknown), Lejeune (foot, unknown)
Suspended None
Discipline Y37 R2
Form DWDLDD
Leading scorer Joselu 4

MANCHESTER UNITED
Subs from Pereira, Romero, Lindelöf, McTominay, Herrera, Shaw, Rojo, Darmian, Mata, Martial, Carrick
Doubtful None
Injured Bailly (ankle, 24 Feb), Blind (ankle, 17 Feb), Ibrahimovic (knee, 3 Mar), Fellaini (knee, 31 Mar),
Suspended None
Discipline Y47 R2
Form DWWWLW
Leading scorer Lukaku 12

Southampton v Liverpool:
Liverpool head to the south coast with Jürgen Klopp joking that perhaps they should move their scouting department into the area in reference to the number of players they have signed from Saints recently. Virgil van Dijk became the sixth and last of them in January, and the £75m Dutchman is assured of a rough reception from the home crowd for the manner of his departure, while Adam Lallana, sent off in midweek for the under-23s, may find a place on the bench. Southampton won last week, a six-pointer at West Brom, and are likely to be unchanged with Mauricio Pellegrino, a former Liverpool defender himself, conscious of the need to back that up with another three points as five of their next six league games are away from home.

Venue St Mary’s Stadium
Last season Southampton 0 Liverpool 0
Referee Martin Atkinson
This season G18 Y62 R4 3.66 cards/game

SOUTHAMPTON
Subs from Forster, Taylor, Bednarek, Davis, Højbjerg, Redmond, Gabbiadini, Gardos, Hesketh, McQueen, Sims, Yoshida,
Doubtful None
Injured Austin (hamstring, 3 Mar)
Suspended None
Discipline Y38 R0
Form DLDDDW
Leading scorer Austin 6
LIVERPOOL
Subs from Mignolet, Can, Henderson, Lallana, Matip, Klavan, Moreno, Solanke, Woodburn, Ings, Ward
Doubtful None
Injured Gomez (knee, 14 Feb), Clyne (back, 3 Mar)
Suspended None
Discipline Y33 R1
Form WWWLWD
Leading scorer Salah 21

MORE FOOTBALL GOSSIP AND STORIES….

England and Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland, 24, is a £40m target for Liverpool and Arsenal. (Sun on Sunday)

Chelsea want manager Antonio Conte to leave the club in the summer by mutual consent, rather than have to sack him now. (Sunday Telegraph)

The Italian has urged Chelsea to stick with him and not react in “a stupid way”. (Observer)

Everton are targeting Shakhtar Donetsk boss Paulo Fonseca to take over from current manager Sam Allardyce in the summer. (Mail on Sunday)

Meanwhile, Everton are ready to sell £30m England defender Michael Keane, 25, after just one season. (Sunday People)

Manchester City have agreed a £50m deal to sign 24-year-old Brazil midfielder Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer. (Sunday Mirror)

Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, 26, who is under contract at Manchester City until 2023, will end his career playing in Major League Soccer, according to his agent. (Sun on Sunday)

Liverpool have turned their attention to Bayer Leverkusen‘s 20-year-old Jamaican winger Leon Bailey. (Sunday People)

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has told Real Madrid that Spain goalkeeper David de Gea, 27, is not leaving the club. (Sunday Mirror)

Brazil striker Roberto Firmino, 26, says he sees his long-term future at Liverpool. (Esporte – in Brazilian)

Tottenham are confident Mauricio Pochettino will remain as their manager, despite interest in the Argentine from Real Madrid. (Sunday People)

Wigan defender Donervon Daniels, a 24-year-old centre-back from Montserrat, is being tracked by Cardiff, Sunderland and Norwich. (Sun on Sunday)

Algeria striker Islam Slimani, 29, hopes to make his move from Leicester to Newcastle permanent. (Leicester Mercury)

Chile forward Alexis Sanchez, 29, says Manchester United are the biggest club in England, and he has joined them in order to “win everything”. (Sky Sports)

Germany boss Joachim Low has dismissed speculation he could take over at Bayern Munich next season after the World Cup. (Sky Sports Germany – in German)

Former England boss Steve McClaren is fronting a group of investors who are trying to buy a football club – with Leeds United one of his possibilities. (Sun on Sunday)

Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez is ready to quit at the end of the season, rather than go through another transfer window under owner Mike Ashley. (Mail on Sunday)

New West Ham signing Patrice Evra was one of the first players to console boss David Moyes after the Scot was sacked by Manchester United. (Sunday Mirror)