Former
Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique is understood to be in London to hold
talks with Chelsea over their managerial vacancy.
The 52-year-old, who is out of work after leaving the Spain job following
the World Cup, won the treble at Barcelona in 2014/15, lifting LaLiga, the
Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
Chelsea are set to assess up to seven candidates, including Luis Enrique, as
they undergo what they insist will be an "exhaustive process" to replace
Graham Potter, who was sacked on Sunday after just seven months in charge.
Julian Nagelsmann is another frontrunner for the job with Sky in Germany
reporting that talks between the former Bayern Munich head coach's
representatives and Chelsea are ongoing and positive.
The 35-year-old wants to manage in the Premier League and sees it as his
natural next destination but will not be rushing into a decision over his
future amid strong interest from Chelsea and Tottenham.
The German wants a short period to reset after being sacked by Bayern last
month and his preference is to oversee a full pre-season when taking on a
new job.
However, his agency, Sports360, will be listening to proposals and have
already fielded sounding-out calls from Chelsea and Spurs.
More formal contact is set to be made, and an agreement being reached in the
coming weeks that only becomes effective next season has not been ruled out.
No potential suitors have yet made contact with Bayern over compensation,
something only expected to happen when Nagelsmann has settled on his new
employers.
Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique, Ruben Amorim, Oliver Glasner and Luciano
Spalletti are also among those under discussion internally at Chelsea.
However, Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is not believed to on the list.
Chelsea have not set themselves a deadline by which to make the appointment.
Carra: Chelsea need a top level manager
like Luis Enrique
Jamie Carragher believes Chelsea are likely to appoint a 'top level' manager
having mentioned Luis Enrique on Monday Night Football.
He told Sky Sports: "Do they go back to this idea of an up-and-coming coach
like Potter but someone who has a bit more of a CV behind him and that the
players will get behind a bit more?
"But that club is used to bringing in managers and managers who are
available right now like a Zidane, like a Luis Enrique and Nagelsmann.
Managers who have managed at the top level.
"It's what Chelsea have done in the past and I know it was a different
owner, and I am not being critical at all because I don't like some of the
criticism the club has received for sacking another manager. It works for
them.
"They win trophies, they change managers and when you are a manager going
into Chelsea you know what the score is, so don't complain when you lose
your job because that club has been very successful with that culture."
Meanwhile, Gary Neville feels Mauricio Pochettino - not Nagelsmann - is the
right man to take charge next on a permanent basis at Stamford Bridge.
"Based on what Boehly has said, Chelsea have done their spending for the
next three years - apart from signing a centre forward," Neville told Sky
Sports.
"If they appoint Zidane, Enrique or Diego Simeone, they're going to want to
have another £300m as they won't like some of the players they've previously
signed.
"They've got to appoint a manager who is going to inherit and like the squad
that they've got. - a lot of them are young - and I think that man is
Mauricio Pochettino."
Chelsea's remaining fixtures
Saturday: Wolves (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
April 12: Real Madrid (A), Champions League quarter-final, kick-off 8pm
April 15: Brighton (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
April 18: Real Madrid (H), Champions League quarter-final, kick-off 8pm
April 26: Brentford (H) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
April 29: Arsenal (A) - Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
May 6: Bournemouth (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 13: Nottingham Forest (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Manchester City (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Newcastle (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
TBA: Man Utd (A) - Premier League
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