Napoli are willing to drop their price for Maurizio Sarri to £4.5million in a bid to speed up a move to Chelsea, according to reports.
Sarri has already been replaced in Naples by former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti but he remains under contract in Italy for two more years.
But according to the Mirror, Napoli’s lowering of the asking price is with the hope that it will ‘encourage Chelsea’ to make their move.
The 59-year-old ran Juventus all the way last season in the Serie A title race and soon became one of the most sought-after managers in world football.
His release clause of £7.5m expired on May 31 but moves to take over at Borussia Dortmund, Zenit St Petersburg and Real Madrid have all fallen through.
Should Sarri fail to secure a move away ahead of the new season, Napoli face the prospect of paying the veteran coach for the remainder of his deal.
Antonio Conte remains in charge at Chelsea but his future continues to look uncertain as players are seeking clarification prior to deciding their futures.
Former Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc remains an attainable option for the west London club while Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli has also emerged as a potential successor to Conte.