Todd Boehly ‘admires’ two elite coaches not on next boss shortlist

Despite whittling down the list of managerial replacements for Graham Potter, Chelsea owner Todd Boehly remains an admirer of Zinedine Zidane and Max Allegri according to a report from TalkSPORT.

The Blues have been reaching out to prospective candidates after ending Potter’s seven-month tenure at Stamford Bridge on Sunday night with Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique and Ruben Amorim among the frontrunners for the role.

But despite quickening their step to secure a permanent replacement before their Champions League quarter-final clash with Real Madrid on April 12, reports suggest Boehly, who also owns MLB side the Los Angeles Dodgers, may prefer a couple of other elite European managers for the Blues gig.

On Tuesday talkSPORT reported on Twitter that the Chelsea owner is also an ‘admirer’ of Zidane, who has been out of work since leaving Madrid in 2021 as well as Allegri, who is currently at the helm of Juventus.

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The report goes on to say: “But Chelsea’s co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley will have a big say in the appointment.”

Nagelsmann has been installed as the bookies favourite to succeed Potter in West London after his departure from Bayern Munich last week. The 35-year-old captured the Bundesliga title last season and led the Bavarian giants to the Champions League quarter-finals this term but was axed on account of issues in the dressing room with stuttering league form.

Various outlets have reported that Chelsea have already made contact with the German, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano confirming discussions on Tuesday saying in a Tweet: “Chelsea want new head coach as soon as possible. Direct contacts with Julian Nagelsmann also today.

“He remains fav candidate with club’s project discussed. Luis Enrique, appreciated — he’d be keen on the job. No direct talks yet with Pochettino & Amorim at this stage.”

The Blues’ haste to find a permanent replacement owes much to what could be a season-saving Champions League run that begins against the defending champions. Chelsea’s dismal league campaign currently sees them sat in 11th place, 12 points outside of the top-four and with no realistic hopes of sealing Champions League qualification via the Premier League.

Only winning the competition would do that, a trick the Blues have pulled off on two occasions. Most famously in 2012 when interim boss Roberto Di Matteo masterminded a miraculous maiden European Cup triumph and then again in 2021 when Thomas Tuchel was drafted in midseason to replace Frank Lampard.

Potter’s former assistant Bruno Saltor will take charge of the side in Tuesday night’s clash against fellow strugglers Liverpool with a trip to face Wolves on Saturday afternoon before the marquee clash with ex-boss Carlo Ancelotti in Madrid next Wednesday.

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