It was during his family holiday in Liguria, the coastal retreat located in the north-west of Italy, when serious doubts over Antonio Conte’s Chelsea future first began to emerge.

Conte was a Premier League champion, revered for delivering his remit of a return to European football, but it was a period of introspection as he spent his break snorkelling, swimming and considering his next move.

He signed a new two-year contract last week, to avert any fears of a surprise departure, yet it has been far from a relaxing summer for Chelsea’s head coach.

There has been the escalating row with wantaway striker Diego Costa, the frustration of missing out on Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United, while there were even suggestions that Conte was seeking greater power over the club’s transfer policy.