Chelsea splashing the cash to prepare Antonio Conte for top job

TAKING OVER: Conte is set to replace Hiddink in the summer

It is now just a matter of when not if the club will confirm the Italian manager’s appointment at Stamford Bridge on a three-year deal.

Starsport first revealed in December that Chelsea had identified Conte as their long-term replacement for Jose Mourinho.

Now we can reveal that Conte has been taking English lessons since January, with his new employers footing the bill.

When he takes over after Euro 2016, he will be put in charge of every single player at the club from youth team to first team.

Since Jose Mourinho’s sacking in December, interim boss Guus Hiddink has given first-team opportunities to 20-year-olds Kenedy, Bertrand Traore and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

But it is understood owner Roman Abramovich wants to see even younger players graduating to the first team and that’s why he wants Conte.

Skipper John Terry, 35, is the last player to come through the ranks to establish himself as a first-team regular.

But Conte will be given responsibility for the under-21s and under-18s in a bid to shake up the existing set-up.

During qualification for Euro 2016 Conte spoke regularly of his desire to bring in young, hungry players to the Italy national team.

He is expected to shun legendary Azzurri playmaker Andrea Pirlo, 36, for the finals France in favour of Marco Verratti of Paris St-Germain, who is 23.

He will then aim to prove he can do the same Stamford Bridge following a hugely disappointing season which has seen the club make a disastrous defence of their league title and crash out of the Champions League to PSG on Wednesday.