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Antonio Conte wants to lead Chelsea into new Stamford Bridge

Antonio Conte gestures on the touchline during the Premier League football match between Chelsea and Burnley
Image: Antonio Conte says he wants to remain at Chelsea for many years

Antonio Conte says he plans to be Chelsea manager when they move into a refurbished Stamford Bridge.

The Italian signed an improved contract in the summer after securing the Premier League title in his first season, but already he is among the bookmakers' favourites to be the first boss out of a job this time round.

Conte's odds were cut after defeat to Burnley on the opening weekend, but his ambition is to buck a trend of short managerial tenures at the club stretching back to the early 1980s, when John Neal lasted four years in post.

"I want to break this bad record. I must be positive," he said. "When you start a job with a new club, I hope to stay in this club for many years.

"This could be a fantastic challenge for me and also for the club, to stay together and also to play with this team in a new stadium.

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"Honestly, the new stadium will be great, but I love a lot Stamford Bridge, also to play in the stadium. I feel Stamford Bridge is like my house."

Chelsea have not even finalised plans to revamp the 41,663-seat Bridge despite getting planning permission back in January.

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Tottenham are much further down the line and on course to move into their new stadium in a year's time.

In the meantime Wembley will host Spurs' home games, the first of them against Conte's champions on Super Sunday.

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Is history repeating itself for Antonio Conte? Those who have followed his career believe so.....

"For sure it's not the same when you play not in your stadium. It's different," said Conte, who was in charge of Juventus when they moved to a new home in 2011. "But if you want to have another good step to improve the club, you must have this type of situation."

Chelsea will be up against Harry Kane less than a month after Conte identified the Spurs striker as his dream signing.

Those comments drew a sharp response from Mauricio Pochettino, but ahead of Sunday's game Conte said: "Recently I only said that I have admiration for Kane, for this player, but I think it's normal.

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Antonio Conte was left in hysterics when asked about Diego Costa at his press conference on Friday.

"It doesn't mean that I don't like my players. I can show admiration for another player. My only intention was to underline the great job Pochettino is doing.

"Harry Kane wasn't this player three years ago. Now he's another player. He improved. I think it's the most important thing for a coach, to improve players. I repeat my admiration for the job of Pochettino. It's great."

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