Antonio Conte is not expected to see the summer through as Chelsea boss following the end to their devastating season and the media have been speculating in their droves about who could be the potential successor to try to rectify the problems they have had.
It has been reported that Roman Abramovich has cast his eyes abroad to find someone to take the reigns at Stamford Bridge, with the likes of Massimiliano Allegri, Mauricio Sarri and Luis Enrique being touted, amongst others. However, the billionaire Russian could perhaps cast one eye over a couple of Premier League rivals to raid, although it does seem highly unlikely.
Mauricio Pochettino
The current Tottenham Hotspur boss has been reportedly on Abramovich’s wish list at some point in the past few weeks, but it would seem unlikely that he would move across the capital, despite growing concerns about his own future at White Hart Lane.
The Argentine would be a less risky option for the Blues to chase as he has the experience of Premier League football with Southampton as well as European football with Spurs last season.
However, what could appeal more to Chelsea would be his ways with players; in particular, the youth. Chelsea have a number of young talents on loan across Europe and it would be fair to assume that almost all of them do not have a future in the senior side.
Andreas Christensen is the most recent player to have come back from a loan move successfully into the first team, under the guidance of Conte, but the likes of Nathan Ake and Nathaniel Chalobah have not had the same joys.
Mason Mount has impressed with Vitesse Arnhem and Marco Van Ginkel at PSV Eindhoven, whilst Kenedy, Reuben Loftus-Cheek and Kurt Zouma have performed to a high level in the Premier League with Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Stoke City, respectively.
Bringing a manager in like Pochettino could help the Blues to use their talented youth and put them into the first team, which would then reduce the need to sign a number of top-quality stars from elsewhere.
One thing that could go against him could be his lack of trophies or the fact that he has not lifted one yet since being a manager. Chelsea will want to bring in a man that has the experience of winning big competitions and it is unlikely that they will be prepared to offer the Argentine a chance to shine at Stamford Bridge.
Rafa Benitez
Rafa Benitez may not be a popular choice for many Chelsea fans, but he has proven to do a job wherever he has gone. The Spaniard took over the reigns in 2012-13 when Roberto Di Matteo was sacked from his role, despite having lifted the Champions League trophy against Bayern Munich.
He infuriated Blues fans with comments in the past when he was in charge of Liverpool, however, he lifted the Europa League at the end of the season and guided them back into the Champions League with a third-place finish.
His exploits with Newcastle this year should make him at least a consideration for Abramovich, as he’s proved that he can work wonders with a squad that has a limited amount at its disposal and were favourites to go straight back down to the Championship.
Benitez’s experience in big-name tournaments would also give him an edge over some of the other candidates, however, the Premier League title had eluded him during his time at Anfield, which could also cause some concern for the Chelsea chief.
