Chelsea copy Tottenham plan with European trophy holder added to next manager shortlist
Chelsea could take the opportunity to hijack Tottenham’s attempts to appoint a manager who recently won a European trophy, according to a report.
Graham Potter was sacked by Chelsea on Sunday after just seven months in charge. The former Brighton boss replaced Thomas Tuchel back in September, but there has been pressure on him throughout his reign.
On Saturday, Chelsea lost at home to Aston Villa, seeing them drop into the bottom half of the Premier League table. It turned out to be the final straw for Potter, who previously had the faith of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali for a long-term project.
Consequently, they are on the lookout for a new manager – just as Tottenham already have been following their own dismissal of Antonio Conte.
Recent reports have indicated that Tottenham might have a good chance of appointing Oliver Glasner as their next boss. Currently in charge of Eintracht Frankfurt, he lifted the Europa League last season.
However, an update from German source Bild has now revealed that Glasner is on Chelsea’s shortlist as well now that they have a vacancy.
As things stand, Boehly and Eghbali are working from a small group of candidates. Up to four names could be under consideration at this moment in time, but Glasner seems to be one of them.
Simultaneously, Eintracht Frankfurt are trying to extend his contract beyond the end of next season. However, his existing deal contains an exit clause active from the end of the current campaign.
Glasner could arrive in the Premier League for the first time, after previously coaching SV Ried and LASK in his native Austria, and Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany.
Eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16, the 48-year-old has led his current side to sixth place in the Bundesliga this season so far. It represents progress after they finished 11th last time around.
Glasner against Nagelsmann for Chelsea job
In turn, Glasner has attracted clubs like Chelsea and Tottenham. But reports earlier on Monday revealed that Julian Nagelsmann might actually be the leading candidate to replace Potter.
Again, Tottenham have also been looking at him, but sources believe Nagelsmann would prefer to take charge of Chelsea.
Funnily enough, Nagelsmann was recently dismissed by Bayern Munich, who replaced him with Tuchel. Perhaps they could end up each having the job that the other had last season.
For now, Bruno Saltor – a member of Chelsea’s backroom team under Potter – will be acting as their head coach on an interim basis.
Chelsea, like Tottenham, have 10 games remaining in their Premier League campaign. Unlike Spurs, they also have a Champions League quarter-final to prepare for.