Maurizio Sarri has revealed how Chelsea players reacted “when I told them I’d be leaving, many of them cried.”

Sarri led Chelsea to Champions League qualification and won the Europa League with them in 2019-20, but he made a swift return to Italy with Juventus last summer.

The Juve manager admits he had a “conflicted” relationship with Chelsea’s players and “would never live” in England but that he “misses” the Premier League.

“The higher you go up the ladder, the harder it is to build personal relationships with your players,” the 61-year-old told Juve’s official YouTube channel as cited by Football Italia.

“Your surroundings change a lot and it takes longer to build those relationships. I had a conflicted relationship with the Chelsea dressing room but, when I told them I’d be leaving, many of them cried.

“I’m not so much a person who pats others on the back. I talk a lot about what they do wrong and less about the good things they do.

“I think that has a big impact, but then they learn to appreciate you for who you are. The longest relationships are with the lads I played least, so I think they recognise something once they absorb your character.

“Those who are thinking about retiring from football sometimes ask me for tips on how to coach.

“Some ask me if they can join my staff for a year. Some come to me for personal reasons because they’ve had trouble with their wife and children.

“Once a relationship starts, you can talk about anything.”

Although he is not a fan of the English lifestyle, the former Napoli boss confessed he had fallen in love with football in the country.

“You get the feeling young people get lots more opportunities in England, not just in football.

“Having said that, I would never live there. I don’t understand how Italians who live there do it…

“As for the football, it’s a different story. I miss the Premier League. It has an extraordinary technical level and an incredible atmosphere.

“I’ve never heard a chant going against someone inside a stadium and the fans all come together outside.

“The opposing fans ask you for a picture and the stadiums are always full, whatever the competition. It’s fantastic.”

Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte has included Timo Werner, Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic and LOSC Lille striker Victor Osimhen on his list of possible replacement for Lautaro Martinez.

The Gazzetta dello Sport claims Werner sits on top of the wish list at the Giuseppe Meazza, but the newspaper points out that they will have competition from giants like Bayern Munich and Liverpool.

Werner reportedly has a release clause of €60m that can be triggered by the end of April and Inter are weighing up their options on the transfer market should they be forced to sell the Argentine starlet.

The newspaper has listed various tracks for the Nerazzurri, including Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Manchester United forward Anthony Martial.

Olivier Giroud has also been linked with a move to San Siro, as his current deal with Chelsea expires in June. But the Blues have an option of a further year in the deal and could activate it automatically.

Ramon Calderon has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson offered Cristiano Ronaldo to Barcelona as he did not want the Portuguese star to join Real Madrid.

According to the former Madrid president, who was the club’s supremo when the global superstar agreed the switch to La Liga – although he was replaced by Florentino Perez in the position that summer.

Ronaldo joined Los Blancos from the then English champions in the summer of 2009 but the deal itself was concluded the previous year.

Calderon has now revealed that United were hopeful that they could somehow block the deal for the Portugal international, and even tried to offer him to their El Clasico rivals Barcelona instead, report Football Espana.

Indeed, just months earlier the Catalan giants defeated United 2-0 in the Champions League final with the Red Devils intent on trying to find Ronaldo another buyer.

“The signing was carried out between me and Cristiano over 2007 and 2008,” Calderon revealed, as cited by Diario AS.

“It was a difficult negotiation with Manchester United because they did not want to lose the player but he was very clear about what he wanted.

“He wanted to join Real Madrid and it was a unique opportunity for us, so I took advantage of it.

“(Alex) Ferguson did not want him to leave and in particular he did not want him to join Madrid, as we had won even more trophies than Manchester United, so he offered the player to Barcelona instead.

“Barcelona were delighted with the opportunity but Ronaldo was very clear about the commitment he had with Madrid and a document that had already been signed.

“There was a document with a signature that, if either the club or the player had breached the deal, he would have to pay €30m to the other party.”

Barcelona manager Quique Setien insists Ivan Rakitic has not submitted a transfer request.

The midfielder is said to be angling for return to his former club Sevilla after complaining about the way he is being treated by the Catalan club.

“I have no information that Rakitic wants to leave the club and he has no transmitted that to me,” he told El Larguero. “And with me he has played a lot and can continue doing it.

“I am happy with his performance and have nothing to say. We have to wait to see what happens and if he wants to leave or not. And if I have to say it, the time will come.”

On Tuesday, Rakitic gave an interview to Mundo Deportivo, during which he revealed he’d turned down a move to PSG last summer as part of a proposed deal to sign Neymar.

The 32-year-old Croatia international Rakitic, who is out of contract at the Camp Nou in 2021, hit out at Barca for their handling of him last week, insisting he is “not a sack of potatoes”.

Clearly upset at being offered as a potential makeweight, Rakitic said he would be the one to decide his future and nobody else.

“I understand the situation but I’m not a sack of potatoes who you can do anything with,” he told Mundo Deportivo.

“I want to be somewhere I feel wanted and respected. If that’s here then I’ll be delighted but if it’s somewhere else then I’ll be the one who decides where.”

Reports in England claim that Chelsea are set to open the doors of a second hotel to NHS staff as they continue to aid London’s fight against coronavirus.

According to the Evening Standard, the Copthorne Hotel at Stamford Bridge, which has 160 rooms, will be made available free of charge to any frontline workers in need of separate accommodation.

The decision comes after the club on Thursday committed to providing 78,000 meals for health and social care workers over an initial six weeks.

Chelsea will pay for 13,000 meals a week to be sent to the five hospitals under the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, as well as supporting a number of other charities.

Chelsea have already offered the use of the Millennium Hotel, which has now reached capacity.

Owner Roman Abramovich has, according to chairman Bruce Buck, been “instrumental” in pushing staff at the club to find ways they can help the effort against Covid-19.

Willian says he is happy to play for Chelsea until the end of the season but has hit back at plans to force Premier League stars to take a pay cut.

The Brazilian winger is out of contract with the Blues on June 30 and has been linked with a move away after extension talks broke down with the West London side.

Some top-flight clubs fear a delayed campaign into July due to the coronavirus outbreak could lead to legal mayhem over player contracts, with the only alternative being to declare the season null and void.

Football looks likely to return with matches played behind-closed-doors, something the South American winger is looking forward to.

And the 31-year-old, who is currently back in his native country with his family in Sao Paulo, has confirmed he is willing to continue lining-up for the Blues, report The Sun.

He told AP: “I want to give everything for Chelsea until the end like I always did, until the end of my contract, until the end of the league.

“I have to discuss with the club to see what we are going to do. But for me, from my side, I have no problem to play until the end of the season.”

Chelsea’s summer move for Philippe Coutinho has suffered a setback as Barcelona manager Quique Setien says the Brazilian is part of his plan for next season.

Frank Lampard has identified the former Liverpool as one of the players he has earmarked to strenghten his team.

But Setien believes Coutinho is a ‘great player’, saying he is ‘counting on’ the 27-year-old for next season.

“I think Coutinho is a great player,” Setien told RAC1.

“I like him a lot. He’s a player who, in principle, is Barcelona’s. Any team that wants him has to pay his clause (which is set at a prohibitive €400m) or a certain amount to Barca.

“I’m counting on him [possibly] being here at the start of next season. I don’t know what he wants to do. Perhaps I have to speak to him and ask him. He is a great player, without doubt.”

Setien’s words leave open the possibility of an exit, but it looks like it’ll be an expensive one.

Lille president Gerard Lopez believes Gabriel Magalhaes is on track to join a “really big club” amid interest from Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton.

But Carlo Ancelotti’s side remain one of the favourites to land Lille’s young Brazilian centre-back, who has featured in the Champions League, playing twice against Chelsea in this season’s group stages.

Another unnamed English club and two Italian sides have reportedly had offers accepted and the Brazilian is expected to choose his next destination in the next 10 days.

Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, Lopez said: “It’s true that he would like to go and try something else out. We haven’t taken that decision yet, but he’s received a number of offers. I feel he’s closer to one club than others, but nothing’s done yet so we’ll see.

“I wouldn’t want to say any more as I respect the player too much. The mechanism I have in place, and we saw that work so well with Nico [Nicolas Pepe], is that I have a certain price in mind for a player, and at the end of the day it’s the player’s choice to go and play where he wants to play – that’s the respect that I have for them.

“I feel he is among the top five dominant central defenders in Europe right now. His statistics, which aren’t well covered outside of France, shows that his percentage for winning duels is pretty unheard of in a league that’s extremely physical.

“He’s an absolute machine, so to me, he’s well on his way – if not this year – to potentially a really big club. I’m certain he’s on his way to the Brazilian national team at some point.

“He’s been linked to two clubs in the UK and he’s clearly been linked to other clubs that have either enquired or moved forward with proposals for him. But we’re not in a hurry and we’re not playing right now. The player isn’t on the pitch.”

Gabriel joined Lille from Brazilian side Avai for just £1.5m three years ago and has featured in the Champions League – playing twice against Chelsea in this season’s group stages.

Photo Credit: Twitter @LOSC Lille EN