Chelsea are still searching for a new manager and could appoint a coach who has very recently left his role at a Premier League club.
The Blues are taking their time over making a new appointment after the surprise decision to replace Mauricio Pochettino earlier in the week.
A number of names are being linked with the job.
Kieran McKenna of Ipswich is high up the list, while Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca is also a name being considered. Others, such as Thomas Frank, Thomas Tuchel and even Jose Mourinho, have all been given column inches this week.
However, according to a report from The Telegraph, it is former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi who remains a contender for the job.
Chelsea could decide to appoint Robert De Zerbi
According to the report, which comes from journalist Matt Law, Chelsea are taking their time to stew over a list of potential replacements for Pochettino.
Those replacements, as it stands, are thought to be Thomas Frank, Kieran McKenna and Enzo Maresca.
However, it’s also suggested that Italian coach De Zerbi has not been ruled out either.
The report says that Chelsea would still need to pay £5m compensation to Brighton if they do make a move now, but that figure is somewhat less than the £15m it would have taken during the season.
De Zerbi has moved on from Brighton after slight disagreements about how to take the club forward at board level.
It’s suggested here that De Zerbi would need to show he is willing to work inline with how Chelsea’s ownership model see the club going forward.
De Zerbi could be ideal for Chelsea
Roberto De Zerbi came into Brighton when many thought they’d hit their ceiling under Graham Potter and then took them to another level.
Some of the football played last season at times was brilliant on the eye and given Chelsea’s squad of young players and the fact Moises Caicedo was key under De Zerbi at Brighton, it does make sense.
Lauded as a manager doing an ‘incredible‘ job by Pep Guardiola, De Zerbi has yet to decide on his next move although one potential destination, AC Milan, looks set to be filled by Paulo Fonseca.
Chelsea, then, could be the right club at the right time.