Allegri plays down Chelsea links

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has played down reports he could become Chelsea’s next full-time manager, following the sacking of Jose Mourinho earlier this season.

Allegri, who steered Juve to a league and Cup double last season, as well as the Champions League final, was linked to the struggling Premier League giants in tabloid reports on Saturday.

The Sun newspaper said Chelsea have already made contact with the Juve coach and his representatives and that he is keen to join.

Speaking to the media a day ahead of his side’s Serie A clash at home to Roma, Allegri said: “My thoughts are on the championship, the Italian Cup and the Champions League. I have a contract with the club until 2017 and I feel good here.”

Asked what it felt like to be linked to the Chelsea job currently held by caretaker coach Guus Hiddink, he said: “Its feels normal. When you coach a team like Juventus, that’s the way it is.

“But I’m fine here and it’s only normal that my focus is on what I have to do here.”

Allegri, however, is known to be curious about a move to the Premier League and he has been learning English in recent years.

Despite being considered an unpopular choice when he was appointed successor to Antonio Conte ahead of last season, the 48-year-old soon won over his detractors.

In his first season in charge Allegri took a different approach to Conte, whose main focus during a successful three-year tenure was on record-setting championship wins and making progress in the Champions League.

Under Allegri, Juve have spread their efforts over the league and Cup, as well as in Europe, leading to the club’s first league and Cup double in 20 years last season.

While Conte failed to get Juve past the quarter-final stages in Europe, Allegri ended the club’s 12-year wait to appear in the Champions League final when they ousted Real Madrid in the semi-finals.

Juve were outclassed 3-1 by Barcelona in the title encounter, but the fans were won over.

Juve had a disastrous start to their title defence this season but have since secured 10 consecutive wins to sit just two points behind leaders Napoli ahead of the weekend matches.