Sources: Chelsea line up pre-agreement with new manager
Chelsea want to appoint a successor to sacked manager Graham Potter “as soon as possible” even if they don’t take charge until the 2023-24 campaign, sources have told Football Insider.
The Blues confirmed the sacking of Potter on Sunday night (2 April) after losing 2-0 at home against Aston Villa a day earlier – and placed Bruno Saltor in interim charge.
A number of the ex-Brighton manager’s staff have been retained and Saltor has already faced the media in a pre-match press conference before Tuesday’s (4 April) clash with Liverpool.
However, it is believed that Chelsea are keen to make an appointment as soon as possible – and hope to avoid leaving Saltor in charge for the rest of the season.
Sources with knowledge of the situation have revealed the Blues are likely to have a new boss tied up before the end of the 2022-23 campaign – with a pre-agreement ahead of the 2023-24 campaign also possible.
Football Insider revealed on Monday (3 April) that Chelsea have made contact with Julian Nagelsmann after his recent sacking at Bayern Munich.
The 35-year-old has also been linked with the vacant manager’s job at Tottenham – with Spurs’ own search complicating things even further for the Stamford Bridge club.
However, sources have told Football Insider (1 April) that Nagelsmann is worried joining Spurs could “damage” his career.
Chelsea slipped into the bottom half with their defeat against Villa.
The Blues are 12 points adrift of a top-four berth despite a mega-money transfer market assault that has brought the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Joao Felix to the club.
It is likely that the only route into next season’s Champions League will come from winning the trophy this term.
Chelsea face Real Madrid in the first leg of the competition’s quarter-finals next week (12 April).
In other news, Football Insider updates with Chelsea set for face-to-face Mateo Kovacic talks.