West Ham wanted Chelsea target Antonio Conte for 'sexy football' before Slaven Bilic move, says David Sullivan

West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has revealed that he tried to sign Chelsea target Antonio Conte as manager last summer in order to bring "sexy football" to east London.

Sam Allardyce left the Boleyn Ground in summer 2015 after his contract was not renewed by the club, with former Hammers midfielder Slaven Bilic taking charge.

Bilic has succeeded this season with the Hammers fifth in the Premier League and one game away from a Wembley FA Cup semi-final, though Sullivan says he tried - and failed - to tempt former Juventus boss Conte away from Italy last year.

The Sun reports him as saying: "After Sam Allardyce left we wanted a big name. [Conte] had taken over the Italy team about a year or so earlier.

"He told us he’d be lynched if he left them to join us. It was a short but positive conversation.

"He’d made it clear that he did fancy managing in England, though.

"He told us he’d consider it in a year or so.

"I thought he had a brilliant track record and I thought he would know all the good Italian players. He would also play sexy football and it would be jolly good to have him.

"He had won the Italian title three years in a row and has this incredible record of winning things.

"But given the choice now I’d stick with Slaven. If it wasn’t for Leicester he’d be manager of the year."

Conte is expected to be announced as Chelsea's new manager by the end of the month after both he and the Italian Football Federation President, Carlo Tavecchio, confirmed earlier in March that he will not be renewing his contract with the Azzurri past Euro 2016.

However, Conte has since refused to confirm he has already agreed to become the new coach of the Blues next season, and suggests he could yet continue his career in Italy.