Antonio Conte: 'Chelsea will try to respect Branislav Ivanovic'

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has suggested that the club will try to help Branislav Ivanovic secure a move away from Stamford Bridge.

The long-serving defender scored during Chelsea's 4-0 win over Brentford in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday afternoon, but he has struggled for playing time under Conte.

The Serbian has been linked with a switch to Zenit St Petersburg, but while no move seems close to completion, Conte has hinted that the Blues will try to respect the player.

The 47-year-old told beIN Sports: "It is difficult to make a decision but we must respect every decision for the players.

"Ivanovic is a legend here. He has played a lot of games and won a lot. In this season he is not playing in the same way as the last few years. We must wait over these next three days and we will see."

The 32-year-old has made a total of 376 appearances for Chelsea since joining the club in 2008.