The long-running saga over Antonio Conte's future appears to have been resolved with Chelsea sacking him as manager and appointing Maurizio Sarri, according to media reports on Thursday. The BBC said the 48-year-old Italian's two year reign -- which brought league success in 2017 and the FA Cup last season -- was ending although they added Chelsea would not comment. However, Conte's apparent dismissal drew a response from Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas, who liked a tweet a Chelsea fan posted about Conte having been sacked although the Spanish 2010 World Cup winner subsequently claimed he had liked it by accident. Conte leaves with the best win percentage 65.1% of any of Chelsea's managers in the Premier League era. Former banker Sarri, 59, will be Chelsea's ninth full-time manager since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003.

Conte -- who had a year to run on his contract -- is seen to have contributed to his own demise by falling out both with the players and the board as the sheen of the title victory quickly disappeared. His intense training methods angered senior players and he alienated the board with disparaging treatment of Spanish striker Diego Costa and constant carping over the club's failure to replace top players with those of similar ability. However, while present players may have had issues with Conte, former Chelsea legend John Terry, who left after the league title winning campaign had nothing but praise for him. "Thank You Boss," Terry posted on Instagram alongside a photo of the two of them holding the Premier League trophy.