Defending Premier League champions Chelsea have rewarded their title-winning manager Antonio Conte with a two-year contract extension, the Blues confirmed.

“Antonio Conte has today signed a new two-year contract with Chelsea Football Club,” a club statement read. 

Chelsea lifted the Premier League title in Conte’s first season in England and made a league record of 30 wins in a league season to vindicate the club’s decision to hire the Italian tactician.

“I am very happy to have signed a new contract with Chelsea,” Conte was quoted as saying by the club website. 

“We worked extremely hard in our first year to achieve something amazing, which I am very proud of. Now we must work even harder to stay at the top,” the player said, adding, "The Chelsea fans have given me so much support since I arrived here one year ago and it is important we continue to succeed together.”

Paolo Vanoli will join as assistant to the first team head coach and Davide Mazzotta will work as assistant/player analysis, the club confirmed on the two additions to Conte’s coaching staff.

Chelsea have made two major signings this summer, with defender Antonio Rudiger and midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko making the move to Stamford Bridge but the situation with Diego Costa has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. 

A public fallout with Conte has seen the Spanish striker heading for the exit, but the Blues have not been able to sign a replacement so far with Manchester United hijacking their bid for Romelu Lukaku, much to the consternation of their fans.

They are rumoured to be targeting Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata, but with big-spenders AC Milan interested as well, things could get complicated and there is a fear that Costa will leave and the Londoners will be unable to sign an able replacement in time.

Pre-season training has been underway and the Blues notched their first win of the summer when they thrashed Fulham in behind-closed-doors friendly. But stiffer tests await Conte’s men when they fly to China to face the likes of Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Inter in the next fortnight.