Two favourites emerge in Chelsea’s search for Mauricio Pochettino’s successor

Chelsea are considering two main candidates to replace Mauricio Pochettino as head coach: Enzo Maresca and Roberto De Zerbi, Soccernet.football reports.

Maresca, currently the manager of Leicester City, and De Zerbi, the former Brighton boss, are leading Chelsea’s shortlist.

Maresca has just won the Championship with Leicester, which has impressed Chelsea’s football hierarchy. On the other hand, co-owner Behdad Eghbali is drawn to De Zerbi’s personality.

Kieran McKenna, the Ipswich Town manager, is also admired but there are concerns about his readiness for the pressures of managing a top Premier League club like Chelsea.

Chelsea’s final decision might be influenced by the ongoing structuring of the club. Some believe Maresca is a better fit since he would purely be a head coach, while De Zerbi’s abrasive character is a concern, despite his success at Brighton.

Brentford’s Thomas Frank has been considered but is currently seen as a distant third behind Maresca and De Zerbi.