Chelsea have reportedly ended their interest in appointing Maurizio Sarri as their next manager.
The Blues, who are expected to part company with current boss Antonio Conte this summer, are ready to call time on their pursuit of the former Napoli head coach due to his disciplinary record, according to Sky Sports News.
Sarri has had a series of run-ins with the Italian football authorities during his managerial career, the most recent of which earned him a fine and two-game ban for alleged homophobic abuse towards Roberto Mancini.
The 59-year-old denied the homophobia allegations but was found guilty of "directing extremely insulting epithets at the coach of the opposing team".
Chelsea are said to have been deterred from further pursuing Sarri due to the controversy he has courted, and have reportedly turned their attention to other candidates, such as recently-departed Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.
Mark Langshaw
