Napoli have begun drawing up a shortlist of potential replacements in case Maurizio Sarri leaves for Chelsea.

Sarri is one of the favoured contenders to succeed Antonio Conte this summer along with Luis Enrique and Massimiliano Allegri. Sources in Italy claim Sarri’s representative, Alessandro Pellegrini, has met intermediaries acting on behalf of Chelsea to discuss the possibility of a move and the Napoli manager has instructed his backroom staff to start learning English.

Napoli began talks with Sarri over a new contract at the start of the year to give him a pay rise on his £1.3million salary and remove a £7.1m release clause, which remains active until the end of this month.

However negotiations have stalled and Chelsea are seriously considering paying Napoli Sarri’s exit fee. It is believed Sarri, who has 12 months left on his deal, is frustrated that his demands for £3.5m a year have not been met.

The 59-year-old has led the side to second in the table playing entertaining football, although it looks certain they will miss out on the title after dropping four points behind Juventus with just three games to go.

He has achieved success with the core of the team he inherited from Rafael Benitez three years ago, with little activity in the market. Sarri also wants to sign some top, experienced players this summer but chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis prefers up-and-coming talent.

Standard Sport understands Sarri’s relationship with De Laurentiis has become strained and there is a fear at Napoli that key players such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Jorginho and Elseid Hysaj could follow Sarri to his next club.

With hopes of an agreement starting to fade, Napoli have compiled a shortlist of new managers including Sampdoria’s Marco Giampaolo, outgoing Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery, Paulo Fonseca of Shakhtar Donetsk and Marseille’s Rudi Garcia.

With Allegri and Enrique also firmly in Chelsea’s thinking, sources at the club suggest they have yet to decide who will be in charge next term.

Sarri’s coaching quality is beyond doubt but he is no stranger to controversy. He apologised for sexist remarks aimed at a female journalist this year, while during his time at Empoli he was fined for complaining that football had “become a sport for fags”. At Napoli, Sarri was accused by then-Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini of making homophobic remarks on the touchline. Sarri said he “could not remember” and “what is said on the pitch should stay on the pitch”. Sarri received a fine and touchline ban. He added: “Homophobe? My story shows that’s not true. I have had and I have gay friends.”

Sarri has other admirers, notably at Monaco, while AC Milan have followed his progress since his time at Empoli. Before they handed a new deal to Gennaro Gattuso, Milan are thought to have checked Sarri’s situation, while they have also been linked with Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli, a Sarri ally.

Conte has continued to maintain that he is staying at Chelsea and will see out the remaining year of his deal. But that would be a major surprise after a troubled campaign which has seen relations with the hierarchy come under strain.