On This Day - April 4, 2016: Italy boss Antonio Conte agrees deal to join Premier League side Chelsea

At the time of his appointment, the then-46-year-old was in charge of Italy's national team and due to oversee their upcoming Euro 2016 campaign before taking the reins in west London.

Chelsea were hoping to regain their Premier League crown after losing it to underdogs Leicester in 2015/16, and the Blues spent over £100million in the transfer window, bringing in N'Golo Kante from the Foxes for a reported £32m, as well as Michy Batshuayi and David Luiz from Marseille and PSG respectively for similar fees.

Left-back Marcos Alonso also arrived from Fiorentina, hoping to make a mark in England after a failed first spell with Bolton three years earlier.

Alexandre Pato and Radamel Falcao were among those to leave the club after disappointing loan spells, as well as the permanent departure of a certain Mo Salah to Roma after the Egyptian's disappointing impact at Stamford Bridge.

Conte's new side won three and drew one of their opening four Premier League games, before back-to-back defeats against Liverpool and Arsenal brought them back to reality.

They certainly learned from that, though, responding by going on an incredible 13 successive wins, a club-record run that would set them on their way to the Premier League title.

Brazilian midfielder Oscar surprisingly left for China in January, but the Blues tasted just two more league defeats before the end of the campaign to finish seven points clear of second-placed Tottenham, with an overall record of 30 wins, three draws and five defeats.

They were also runners up in the FA Cup, losing to London rivals Arsenal at Wembley, while they had no Champions League or Europa League football to contend with after finishing in 10th the previous campaign.

With Man City having a transitional first season under Pep Guardiola, it would be a tough task for Conte's Chelsea to retain their title in 2017/18, while Jose Mourinho's Man United were also expected to come back stronger.

Key to the Blues' 2016/17 win was top goalscorer Diego Costa, with 22 goals and eight assists (and 10 yellow cards!), but Conte would share a rocky relationship with the Spanish forward in the following campaign and such strains in relationships with the playing staff ultimately cost him his job at the Bridge.

As City's Centurions stormed to the Premier League title, Conte's side finished a disappointing fifth, crashing out of the Carabao Cup semi-finals and the Champions League last 16 to Barcelona, but they did at least secure more silverware under Conte as they beat Man United in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

With tensions visibly strained at the end of the season, and Conte noticeably different towards the end of his second season, it was always a case of when the former Juve boss would leave rather than if.

It took a little longer than many expected, with Conte lasting until the start of 2017/18 pre-season before Chelsea gave him his marching orders, replacing him with compatriot and ex-Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri, whose late start arguably affected how he could get his ideas across in such a short space of time.

Conte is now back in management, in Serie A with Inter Milan, who sit third in the table and nine points adrift of leaders Juventus.

After a difficult Champions League group with Barca and Borussia Dortmund, Inter exited at the group stage and were entered into the Europa League, with an upcoming round of 16 tie with Getafe before football's suspension due to the coronavirus outbreak.

He only lasted two years in his three-year contract at Chelsea, but Conte proved good value in the Premier League, with a solid title-winning Blues team and plenty of entertainment on the sidelines with his animated style of management.

Conte's Chelsea spell: In numbers

Thanks to stats from the PA news agency, here is a look back on Conte's time at the Bridge in numbers.

• 76 - Premier League games Conte took charge of the Blues, with a 65.4 win percentage.
• 13 - Consecutive Premier League wins from October 30 to December 31, 2016, a Chelsea club record.
• 2.14 - Average points per game in the Premier League. Among managers with at least 10 games in the competition, only Pep Guardiola (2.34) and Sir Alex Ferguson (2.16) have more.
• 741 - Days in charge after replacing Guus Hiddink on July 3, 2016.
• 6 - Chelsea were the sixth club managed by the Italian after spells at Arezzo, Bari, Atalanta, Siena and Juventus. He also managed Italy prior to Chelsea. He went on to Inter Milan.
• 30 - The 2016-17 season's total of 30 wins set a new Premier League record, since broken by Manchester City.
• 58m - The amount in pounds Chelsea paid Real Madrid for striker Alvaro Morata, making him the most expensive signing in Chelsea's history. He is now at Atletico Madrid.

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