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By Martin Graham | 22nd May 2024
Chelsea are on the hunt for a new manager once more after Mauricio Pochettino left the club by mutual consent following just one season at Stamford Bridge. The Argentine came under fire after an underwhelming first half of the season but led them to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League. Chelsea also finished as runners-up in the Carabao Cup and reached the semifinals of the FA Cup.
Leading candidates
Hansi Flick
An early favorite with some bookmakers, Hansi Flick, 59, is available and ready to return to management having been out of work since he was sacked by Germany in September 2023. Before that, Flick won 70 of his 86 games in charge of Bayern Munich from November 2019 to June 2021. Under Flick, Bayern won a treble of the domestic league and cup, and the Champions League in the 2019-20 season.
Ruben Amorim
Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim, 39, looked likely to be heading to Liverpool this summer. His stock has risen after guiding Sporting to their first top-flight title in 19 years in 2021 and is highly rated by numerous European clubs. Chelsea are known to have had a long-term interest in Amorim.
Vincent Kompany
Chelsea are understood to have already expressed an interest in Burnley boss Vincent Kompany. The Belgian impressed in guiding the Clarets to promotion the season before last, and their recent relegation doesn’t seem to have done too much damage to his reputation. Bayern Munich have also expressed an interest.
Other notable options
Julian Nagelsmann
The former Bayern Munich boss, 36, took over as Germany manager last September but his contract only runs until July 2024, meaning he would be available after this summer’s European Championships. The former RB Leipzig manager won the Bundesliga in his first season in charge at Bayern Munich before being dismissed. He was the favorite to take over Chelsea last summer before the club went in a different direction.
Kieran McKenna
The 38-year-old will be one of the favorites after guiding Ipswich to Premier League promotion this season. The former Manchester United coach is understood to be of interest to Chelsea, having produced some impressive, free-flowing football with Ipswich.
Jose Mourinho
The 61-year-old has inevitably been linked with a third spell as manager of Chelsea, a move many fans would welcome but appears unlikely. The Portuguese is out of work after he was fired by Roma earlier this season but was dubbed ‘the special one’ for his work with the Blues. Mourinho won three Premier League titles and an FA Cup at Stamford Bridge, adding to the countless honors he won with Porto, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid.
Dark horses
Michel Sanchez
The Girona boss would be a left-field choice but has impressed this season by guiding his side to Champions League qualification. The 48-year-old has been at Girona since 2021 and has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Xavi at Barcelona.
Roberto de Zerbi
Roberto de Zerbi, 44, is newly out of work after his shock resignation as Brighton manager at the end of this season. De Zerbi guided Brighton to sixth place the season before last, which saw the club qualify for European competition for the first time, and ninth in the season just gone. He has been linked with numerous top jobs but insisted on Sunday he had no role lined up.
Thomas Tuchel
Another highly-rated manager who is looking for work this summer is Thomas Tuchel. A legend at Stamford Bridge for helping the club win the Champions League in 2021, he was sacked by the new ownership group a year later. Tuchel has left his job at Bayern Munich, despite recent talks to persuade him to stay, and is looking for a new challenge. Probably not at Chelsea, but you never know.
