(Credit: @fifaclubfootball on Instagram, Imago)

Evan Shaw

Sun 26 April 2026 19:45, UK

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Chelsea are weighing up the possibility of appointing their former defender Filipe Luis as their next manager to replace Liam Rosenior.

The Blues are once again on the hunt for a new boss after they decided to pull the trigger on Rosenior following their 3-0 defeat away at Brighton on Tuesday night.

The 41-year-old’s tenure ended with a dismal run of five Premier League games without either a point or a goal, and the club hierarchy decided that the team’s loss at the Amex Stadium was the final straw.

Todd Boehly and Co. are now on the hunt to appoint their third permanent boss of the season, and Luis appears set to find himself in the frame for a shock return to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s hunt for a new manager is set to see them cast their net far and wide to find the right candidate, but they are also looking a little closer to home.

Filipe Luis takes step towards Chelsea job amid board consideration

Football Insider revealed in the immediate aftermath of Rosenior’s departure that Chelsea would consider Luis as a genuine option to take over, after some impressive work in charge of Flamengo.

The former left-back led the Brazilian giants to seven trophies in less than 18 months at the helm, before he was unceremoniously relieved of his duties at the start of March.

The 40-year-old’s availability has clearly set those behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge on red alert, and he is set to be assessed as a genuine contender despite his relative lack of managerial experience.

Luis has also now taken a major step towards getting the job in the eyes of the bookmakers, with one of the UK’s leading outlets slashing his odds to take over at Chelsea dramatically on Sunday.

He is now the second favourite for the position at odds of 5/1, with only Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola seen as a more likely candidate at the moment.

Luis’ rise through the odds has seen him leapfrog the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Frank Lampard in the pecking order, and he is seemingly now in a strong position to land the role.

Andoni Iraola may prove to be out of reach for Chelsea

Iraola may have emerged as the early favourite for the Chelsea job in the eyes of the bookmakers, but it is unlikely to be straightforward for them to make a swift appointment if he is their man.

The Spaniard recently confirmed his departure from Bournemouth at the end of the season, but that has only served to heighten the speculation regarding his future.

Crystal Palace and Newcastle have both been linked with a move for the 43-year-old, while Bayer Leverkusen have also shown an interest in taking him to the Bundesliga.

Iraola has a wealth of options available to him for his next job, and that undoubtedly doesn’t work in Chelsea’s favour.

He could ultimately prove out of reach for the Blues, which may see a former player like Luis or Fabregas enter the box seat to be appointed.