LONDON: Chelsea sacked manager Graham Potter on Sunday after less than seven months in charge, following their 2-0 home defeat by Aston Villa at the weekend which left the London club 11th in the Premier League.
According to bookmakers SkyBet, following are the contenders to replace Potter as Chelsea look to appoint their third manager this season.
JULIAN NAGELSMANN (GERMANY) – 1/3
Bayern Munich surprisingly parted ways with Nagelsmann last month with the club second in the Bundesliga and in the Champions League quarter-finals, replacing him with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.
Nagelsmann, 35, led the Bavarians to their 10th straight Bundesliga title after taking over in 2021. He has previously managed RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim.
He has also been linked with Tottenham Hotspur, who have Cristian Stellini in interim charge until the end of the season after Antonio Conte’s exit last month.
BRENDAN RODGERS (NORTHERN IRELAND) – 6/1
Relegation-threatened Leicester City parted ways with Rodgers by mutual consent on Sunday in a late-season bid to preserve their top-flight status after defeat by Crystal Palace at the weekend left them in 19th place.
The 50-year-old, also a bookmakers’ favourite to take over at Spurs, led Leicester to their first FA Cup title in 2021 and consecutive fifth-placed finishes between 2019-21.
Rodgers took Liverpool to the brink of the league title in 2013-14 and enjoyed a successful stint at Celtic, where he won two Scottish Premiership titles. He has also served as manager of Chelsea’s youth and reserve teams.
MAURICIO POCHETTINO (ARGENTINA) – 14/1
Former Tottenham manager Pochettino, tipped for a return to north London, was linked with Chelsea after Tuchel was sacked and has again emerged as one of the early frontrunners for the vacant managerial role at Stamford Bridge.
Pochettino, 51, has been out of work since a brief stint at Paris St Germain, where he won last season’s Ligue 1 title. He led Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final and two top-three finishes in the Premier League between 2015-17.
LUIS ENRIQUE (SPAIN) – 14/1
Luis Enrique left his role as Spain’s coach after their World Cup last 16 exit to Morocco in December. His Spain side previously impressed at the 2020 European Championship, losing on penalties to eventual champions Italy in the semi-finals.
The 52-year-old, who has not managed a club in nearly six years, won the Champions League with Barcelona in his first season as part of a treble and later added another LaLiga title and two Copa del Rey trophies.
ZINEDINE ZIDANE (FRANCE) – 14/1
Zidane, 50, has spent nearly two years without a club since he left Real Madrid after his second spell in charge at the end of the 2020-21 season following their first trophyless season in 11 years.
A World Cup winner with France and a national icon, Zidane won three Champions League trophies and two LaLiga titles among other domestic honours in five years across two decorated stints at Real.
JOSE MOURINHO (PORTUGAL) – 16/1
Bookmakers have tipped former Chelsea boss Mourinho, currently at AS Roma, for a potential return to Stamford Bridge, where he won three Premier League titles across two stints between 2004-07 and 2013-15.
Mourinho, 60, is one of the most decorated managers in the game. His last job in England was with Tottenham, where he was sacked in 2021 after 17 months in charge.
He has also managed Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, and recently led Roma to the inaugural Europa Conference League title last June.
