Monaco the key for Ranieri

Feature: Ranieri revels in adversity

Claudio Ranieri's future at Chelsea looks likely to hinge upon whether he can guide them to European Cup victory.

Talks with chief executive Peter Kenyon about Ranieri's position ended without a resolution on Wednesday.

The Italian's agent Phil Smith revealed that another meeting would take place after the Champions League semi-final against Monaco.

"It won't be resolved overnight," said Smith. "It may well depend on how that goes as to what happens then."

Ranieri's future has been uncertain since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich took control of the club in the summer.

The Italian, who has a rolling contract until 2007, is keen to stay at Chelsea and build on the success he has enjoyed this season.

Chelsea are seven points behind Premiership leaders Arsenal, and travel to Monaco for the Champions League semi-final first leg on Tuesday.

"Had they been sixth or seventh in the League and out of Europe it might have been different," Smith, an agent for Ranieri's advisors First Artist Corporation, told The Independent newspaper.

"We have been trying to push it so that it [the decision on his future] does not go beyond [the summer]."

Chelsea said the talks were "a private matter" and insisted the meeting was the latest in a series aimed at "clarifying the manager's position".

Ranieri, meanwhile, is continuing preparations for Saturday's home match with Everton.

And Smith said both his client and Kenyon were keen to focus on progressing in the Champions League.

"Both parties want to make sure nothing gets in the way of having the best possible preparations for arguably the biggest game in the club's history," Smith added.

"They want to make sure nothing goes amiss and concentrate on the semi-final and achieving their target of finishing at least second in the league."