Chelsea called only possible destination for in-work manager praised by Pep

Chelsea called only possible destination for in-work manager praised by Pep

Chelsea have been called the “only possible option” for an in-work manager to leave his club this summer, and Man City boss Pep Guardiola holds him in very high esteem.

Chelsea linked with Pochettino replacement

The calls for Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking have died down somewhat recently, with Chelsea not recording a single league defeat since their dismal 4-2 loss at home to Wolves in early February.

Related

Sky journalist says Chelsea may sell “interesting name” alongside Gallagher

PSR concerns have motivated consistent exit rumours.

While Chelsea have suffered poor results since then, most notably losing the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool and drawing at home to relegation battlers Burnley, the signs have been far more positive in recent weeks.

The Blues, thanks to yet another stunning display from Cole Palmer, battered Everton 6-0 at Stamford Bridge. Before that, Chelsea were involved in the game of the season with their dramatic 4-3 win over Man United, and these are encouraging results to build upon from Pochettino’s perspective.

Chelsea’s next league fixtures

Date

Arsenal (away)

April 23rd

Aston Villa (away)

April 27th

Tottenham (home)

May 2nd

West Ham (home)

May 5th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 11th

Nevertheless, supporters have still been far from impressed overall with Chelsea’s style of play under Pochettino, and it is believed that the club have a shortlist of potential replacements – should they part company with the Argentine.

Simon Phillips revealed this week that Barcelona boss Xavi is now under consideration, and there have been some rumours that Jose Mourinho is keen to make a return to Chelsea after leaving Roma.

Another potential option for Chelsea is Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian, who’s been praised for his job on the south coast after replacing Graham Potter in 2022, is attracting interest from elsewhere and could well leave the Amex.

Chelsea named as “only possible destination” for De Zerbi

If the former Sassuolo boss does depart at the end of this season, journalist Rudy Galetti has written for Tribal Football that Chelsea are the only possible option for De Zerbi, who is among the names in the race to be appointed as Pochettino’s replacement, as other elite English sides like Liverpool will have different choices.

This could benefit Chelsea if they’re that eager to hire another manager from Brighton, but what’s most intriguing is the real praise De Zerbi has received from City boss Guardiola – who called him “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years”.

“There is no team playing the way they play – it’s unique,” Guardiola also said of De Zerbi.

“I had the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn’t expect him to do it in this short space of time. He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents. He monopolises the ball in a way it hasn’t been for a long time.

“They deserve completely the success they have. If you don’t play at a high level, he can do whatever he wants against you.”