UPDATE: Basically all Italian sources are confirming these positive developments this morning — new €4m/year contract through 2021 — including both Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport. Safe to say, Sarri’s off the market.

It seems as if another name is set to be crossed off the list of managerial candidates to take over at Chelsea this summer.

The last we heard about Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri was that he was to partake in contract renewal talks with club president, Aurelio Di Laurentiis, despite signs of a souring relationship between the two.

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the preliminary stages of the said talks were held today and the likely outcome? A new bumper deal for Sarri, with a reported annual wage of €4.4 million after taxes being discussed. While more follow-up talks are scheduled for tomorrow, there is, apparently, a resounding optimism from De Laurentiis’ camp that the manager will stay on in Naples and spurn advances from other clubs.

This new contract will also do away with Sarri’s release clause, although that’s due to expire this month anyway. If Chelsea were ever at all interested in appointing Sarri as manager, it would appear that we may have left it too late, which in a way, is quite typical.