FA Cup Finals are often landmark moments for Chelsea and so next Saturday’s Wembley showpiece against Manchester United appears set to signal the end for Antonio Conte as the club’s head coach. Whatever the result.

That Jose Mourinho, Conte’s predecessor, and twice a Chelsea manager, will be in the opposition dug-out seems all the more appropriate. Given the turnover at Chelsea who would rule out Conte one day returning to Stamford Bridge while it is not beyond the realms of possibility that another previous manager, Carlo Ancelotti, might replace him this summer.

Ancelotti appears the fall-back option with Chelsea adamant they will not enter into discussions with any manager – whether that be Juventus’s Max Allegri, Napoli’s Maurizzo Sarri or Monaco’s Leonardo Jardim or a younger coach such as Hoffenheim’s Julian Nagelsmann or Stuttgart’s Domenico Tedesco – until Conte’s future is resolved.

One significant reason for this is the breakdown in relationships. To put it bluntly Chelsea do not want to pay Conte any more than they have to, with one year left on his contract, while he wants the money he is owed. In full.

The 48-year-old may even be willing to take a year’s sabbatical so he receives the full £9million payment while Chelsea want his departure to be announced as by mutual consent.