Chelsea have reportedly held Stamford Bridge talks over a potential move for a World Cup winning manager to replace Mauricio Pochettino.
Chelsea manager latest
It has so far been a debut campaign to forget for the Argentine in London, with the Blues struggling in the Premier League and losing in the EFL Cup final to Liverpool.
There is still time to salvage the season with FA Cup glory, however, Pochettino’s side will take on Manchester City in the semi-final at Wembley.
Some Chelsea supporters have made their feelings known towards Pochettino and owner Todd Boehly in recent weeks, but recent reports have claimed that Pochettino’s job is safe until the end of the season.
That doesn’t mean that potential targets aren't being assessed behind the scenes, with the likes of Eddie Howe, Roberto De Zerbi and Ruben Amorim all linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge. Now, a new name has emerged in the media.
Hansi Flick linked with Chelsea move
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, talking to GiveMeSport, Chelsea have held internal talks over a possible move for Hansi Flick as the Blues look at ‘succession planning’.
However, discussions haven’t been in an ‘emergency’ style as they still hope Pochettino can succeed in London.
“When we hear a lot of these names linked with Chelsea, it doesn't mean they're going behind Pochettino's back and offering somebody a job, which would suggest that they're done with him. It means that Chelsea are forging relationships, they're tracking people, and they're aware of who is out there in the market.
“So if they have to make a change, whether that's this summer, or whether that's in years to come, they have the right relationships, they have the right Intel, they have the right data, and the people that they might bring on board are well aware of the Chelsea project as well. That's just smart. Within that context, Hansi Flick is one name that could come under consideration, and has been spoken about internally as part of normal succession planning. There are several others that Chelsea are discussing, but not in the sense of an emergency meeting to find a replacement for Pochettino, more in case they have to make a change and to ensure that there's no managerial limbo, whilst at the same time hoping it can still work with Pochettino.”
Flick has been out of work since leaving his post as Germany manager back in September. A World Cup winner as assistant to Joachim Low in 2014, the 59-year-old took his first senior role in management back in 1996 with FC Bammental and led Hoffenheim for five years.
The 4-2-3-1 boss also managed Bayern Munich between 2019-2021, winning a number of trophies at the Allianz Arena.
World Cup
1
Champions League
1
Bundesliga
2
German Cup
1
German Super Cup
1
UEFA Super Cup
1
FIFA Club World Cup
1
Baden Cup
4
Already linked with a move to replace Graham Potter at Chelsea in 2023, the Blues appear to have had their eye on Flick for some time, so it may not be a great surprise to see him arrive, should things not work out with Pochettino.
