Claudio Ranieri's agent met with the Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon yesterday to discuss the manager's future as the club appeared to be reconsidering its decision to part company with the Italian. Such has been the change in thinking that Kenyon even presented the agent, Jon Smith, with a brief detailing what Chelsea would expect Ranieri to achieve should he remain at Stamford Bridge.
The talks were described as "positive", and Ranieri was simultaneously stepping up the pressure on the Premiership club to reach a decision by linking himself with a potential move to Roma.
Kenyon met Smith, whose First Artist company represents the Chelsea manager, at his office at Stamford Bridge. Although Ranieri was not present, he is expected to attend a fresh round of talks next week as he seeks clarification on his position at the west London club. A decision will be made in the next fortnight.
"We are trying to resolve, in a very friendly atmosphere, what happens next," said Smith. "There will be more discussions next week with Claudio and Peter Kenyon. We had a productive and pleasant afternoon."
Tuesday's startling Champions League success over Arsenal has seen the Italian's stock rise to unprecedented levels across Europe. With that in mind, the Italian upped the ante on his employers by declaring his desire to manage his home-town club, Roma.
"I know that there are rumours about a possible future role at Roma for me," said Ranieri to the Rome-based station NuovoSpazio Radio. "I'm from the city so how could I say no if they called me? [The former Roma and current Bologna coach] Carlo Mazzone once told me that no one could consider himself a coach if he had not worked at AS Roma."
Even so, Ranieri's representatives have not been in dialogue with other clubs and the manager's immediate preference is to remain in London, despite spending the past few months in the knowledge that Kenyon, backed by the club's owner Roman Abramovich, has been intent upon dismissing him regardless of results.
Yet the chief executive's inability - even aided by football's major deal-broker Pini Zahavi - to secure Sven-Goran Eriksson as a replacement has recently prompted second thoughts over the Italian. "Roman has done a fantastic job since buying Chelsea and Claudio has done fantastic work," added Smith. "It seems crazy that we've ended up at opposite ends of the pitch."
Ranieri would walk away with around £6m compensation should he still be sacked. Even so, his exploits domestically and in Europe would represent a timely re-statement of his pedigree should he need to find suitable employment elsewhere.
Roma's president Franco Sensi is a known admirer and would undoubtedly consider recruiting Ranieri if, as expected, his current manager Fabio Capello departs in the summer. Ironically, Capello remains a potential candidate to replace his compatriot at Stamford Bridge, despite a history of spats with his chairman in the Italian capital. "I'm sure that Fabio would love trying a coaching experience in England," added Ranieri.
