So with it now confirmed that Maurizio Sarri has left Chelsea, we’re asking the question: Who should replace him at Stamford Bridge?
Twitter: Maurizio Sarri is leaving Chelsea Football Club to return to Italy and become manager of Juventus. https://t.co/gIeiIp1ZEo (@ChelseaFC)
Chelsea will want to bring in the Italian’s successor as quickly as possible this summer, with plenty of business to be sorted out in London.
With Chelsea’s transfer ban situation still looming, the club need a man in place to run the rule over the current squad and make decisions based on who stays and who goes.
There have been a number of names reportedly in the frame for the job over the last few months, with the former Napoli coach’s job always looking uncertain.
Here are a number of coaches that we think could be considered potential candidates for the vacant position:
Frank Lampard
The former Chelsea star is the favourite to replace Sarri, and with Derby County having failed to win promotion to the Premier League, perhaps Lampard would jump at the chance to helm his former club.
Diego Simeone
Simeone has long been linked with a move to England, year on year electing to remain with Atletico Madrid instead of joining the Premier League.
While it may then be a fruitless candidate link, now may be the time he decides to take a step into the unknown and chance his hand at something new.
Nuno Espirito Santo
The Portuguese manager earned plenty of plaudits last season for leading his newly promoted Wolves side to a seventh place finish. While he may be comfortable at Molineux, he could well be tempted to abandon the Midlands side to take a crack at the Champions League.
Max Allegri
Allegri has established himself as an elite coach during his trophy-laden years as Juventus manager, and with the Italian now a free agent, he could be tempted with a new challenge away from Italy. However, he appears to have ruled himself out of the running in recent weeks.
Jose Mourinho
Of course, this move would one of the more unexpected and divisive moves, following the end of his Manchester United tenure, but Jose undoubtedly knows what Chelsea is about.
His previous two tenures brought domestic success, and with Chelsea still far away from the heights that both Manchester City and Liverpool are at, maybe the Portuguese coach is the man to bring them up to speed.
Javi Gracia
Much like Nuno with Wolves, Javi Gracia has done a fine job at Watford.
The Spaniard demonstrated his managerial ability last season, having managed to guide his Watford side to a highly respectable finish, and he could be ready to make the leap up.
Luis Enrique
The former Barcelona manager has been linked with Chelsea in the past, and could be seen as a possible candidate once again.
Now the Spain national team manager, Enrique would surely jump at the chance to join an elite club in the Champions League next season, if the opportunity to return to club football arose.
Steve Holland
Back in February, Holland was named the main man to replace Sarri, should he leave before the season’s end.
Now, with the Italian having left the club, the former Chelsea assistant could return to Stamford Bridge, should he want to leave his role within the England set-up.
Gian Piero Gasperini
SkyBet are suggesting that Gian Piero Gasperini is a manager in the realm of possibility for Chelsea to acquire this summer.
It does seem unlikely, after he recently led Atalanta to a historic league finish with Champions League football to come to Bergamo next season, but stranger things have happened in football.