Chelsea have held discussions with Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim over him becoming the club’s new manager, according to reports.
Amorim, who won the Portuguese league and cup double in his first campaign with Sporting, was on Chelsea’s shortlist and they have now spoken to him.
The 38-year-old has a release clause of up to €10 million (£8.7m) in his deal with Sporting and the London side would have to pay that fee to take him to Stamford Bridge.
Amorim is the latest candidate Chelsea have spoken to with the club having now held talks with at least four possible managers, according to The Guardian.
Amorim spoke openly about his future this month and suggested that he wanted to stay in Portugal with Sporting despite being linked with the Blues.
Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali do not want to ‘act hastily’ after they sacked Graham Potter and will take their time to find the right coach for the job having brought in Frank Lampard until the end of the season.
Former Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann, 35, emerged as the early frontrunner but Chelsea are somehow concerned he is too young for the role.
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Chelsea are also interested in ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino but he reportedly has little interest and wants the Real Madrid job instead.
Former Spain and Barcelona manager Luis Enrique as well as Napoli’s Luciano Spalletti are also among the coaches Chelsea are believed to be targeting.
Marcelo Gallardo is one of the latest names to be linked – along with Antonio Conte – while Carlo Ancelotti has already dismissed speculation he could return to Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho has indicated that he could leave Roma this summer window after being linked with a surprise return.
