Diego Simeone
Diego Simeone reportedly remains Chelsea's number 1 target Reuters

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has insisted Diego Simeone wants to stay at the Vicente Calderon, despite recurrent reports linking him with a move to Chelsea at the end of this season. The club chief said he is not concerned about losing the manager, as the Argentine is under contract to the La Liga outfit until 2020.

Simeone is seen as one of the main candidates to take over permanently at Stamford Bridge following the departure of Jose Mourinho in December. The Blues have appointed Guus Hiddink on an interim basis until the end of the campaign.

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Antonio Conte, Jorge Sampaoli and Massimiliano Allegri have also linked with the job in recent times, but the Sunday People reported last week that the Atletico coach is the Blues' number one target. Chelsea are understood to have recently made an approach to the manager's agent and sister Natalia to ask about his intentions in the summer.

The report added that Chelsea are ready to make an offer to Atletico Madrid at the end of the season to convince them to part ways with the prestigious manager, who has a release clause of around £3.1m ($4.4m) and earns £5.5m a year at the Vicente Calderon.

However, Cerezo said during an interview with Onda Cero: "We have a contract with El Cholo [Simeone] and it is a contract between people that is not just valid, but super valid. Furthermore, I think there's been a lot of talk but Cholo knows where he wants to be.

"He is a great manager, a magnificent coach who gives a lot on and off the field. That's one of his strongest points and that's why he is so important."

Cerezo has previously admitted that Atletico Madrid are going to try to lure Diego Costa back to the Vicente Calderon during the summer. However, this time was more coy about the possibility when asked as the club are currently focused on trying to end the season in the best possible way, with the club still competing for titles in La Liga and the Champions League.

"Right now we just have to focus in finishing the season very well. Then we will have to prepare for the next season to have the best guarantees in the three competitions."