5 managers who could take over from Antonio Conte

As has been the trend at Chelsea in recent years, managers go through a rough patch the year after they've won the Premier League title. Jose Mourinho led Chelsea to the Premier League title in his second spell at the club in 2014/15. But fortunes changed for him in the subsequent season and he left the club by mutual consent in December 2015.

Antonio Conte led Chelsea to the Premier League title in 2016-17, his very first year as manager at the club. As we reach the end of his second season with Chelsea, the defending champions look a bleak shadow of their former self and even a Champions League spot looks impossible.

Roman Abramovich and the Chelsea board don't tolerate poor performances and it looks like Chelsea may be on the hunt for Conte's successor.

Here are 5 candidates who could take over the reigns from Conte.

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#1 Carlo Ancelotti

Ancelotti managed Chelsea from 2009 to 2011

Carlo Ancelotti managed Chelsea from 2009 to 2011 and had a decent stint, winning the Premier League and the FA Cup in his first season with the club but was sacked after failing to win a trophy in his second season with The Blues.

He has gone on to manage PSG, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich and gained invaluable experience as a manager in the top flight. Ancelotti is one of the top contenders to replace Conte according to Vital Football.

With Arsenal also interested in the Italian, a tug-of-war between the London rivals could unfold in the summer as both clubs would look to secure his contract. Ancelotti has claimed that he's waiting for a Premier League club to come calling and Chelsea would look to snap him up if they decide to part ways with Conte.

Ancelotti played a 4-4-2 diamond formation in his last spell at Chelsea and would resort to something similar in his second spell at the club. He relies on full-backs to provide attacking width and a creative midfielder like Cesc Fabregas to create chances. Ancelotti could very well be close to a shock return to Chelsea FC!

#2 Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique has won nine trophies with FC Barcelona

Former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has also been rumoured to take over at Chelsea, according to Le Parisien.

Enrique won the treble in his very first season as Barcelona manager and went on to win nine trophies in three seasons with the Catalan giants. Metro suggests that the former Real Madrid and Barcelona player would prefer to take over the reins at Arsenal rather than that of their rivals from south-west London.

With as many as four different clubs looking to make a managerial change before the new season, Enrique will be in demand as he is regarded as one of the best coaches in football history.

Enrique will bring a new brand of football to Chelsea as they prepare for a year most probably playing in Europe's second-tier competition, Europa League. He believes in playing an attacking style of football which could suit the trio of Hazard, Morata and Willian.

The system also plays to the strengths of Cesc Fabregas in midfield. He will get the licence to dart forward when required and combine with the forwards, while playing the role of a holding midfielder. Luis Enrique would be quite a scalp for Chelsea FC!

#3 Massimiliano Allegri

After three Serie A titles, Allegri may well be looking for a new challenge

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri is another manager who has been linked with The Blues, according to Metro. Amidst speculation that he might take over at Chelsea, he has stated that he is 'finished in Italy' and is currently looking for new challenges abroad.

Reports suggest that he is eyeing the Chelsea job and relishes the prospect of battling with the likes of Guardiola, Mourinho and Klopp in the Premier League.

Allegri is on the verge of a fourth consecutive Serie A title with Juventus, and will be parting ways with the club in the summer. Allegri is a master tactician and could bring a new style of football to Chelsea.

Allegri is likely to play the 3-5-2 with Eden Hazard playing off Alvaro Morata, in the role of a second striker. The current Juventus boss is the top candidate to take over at Chelsea as both parties seem equally interested in the move. Chelsea will benefit massively if they manage to land Allegri.

#4 Thomas Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel could take over the reigns of Chelsea FC

Chelsea have been long-time admirers of former Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel. The former Dortmund boss is reportedly preparing for a move to the Premier League as both Chelsea and Arsenal remain interested in the German, as per International Business Times. Chelsea will also be up against PSG and Bayern to secure the contract of Tuchel, with both clubs trying their best to land him.

He has been lauded as one of the best managers in the game and will be in demand in the summer. Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has claimed that Tuchel has already made his choice and signed a deal with another club, as reported by Metro.

If he does move to Chelsea, he will bring the traditional 4-2-3-1 formation with him, a formation that Chelsea played under Mourinho

Tuchel's formation requires his attacking midfielders to change positions, in order to put more pressure on the opposition's defence.

#5 Maurizio Sarri

Sarri is the ideal manager for Chelsea

Maurizio Sarri is another serious contender to take over the reins at Chelsea FC, according to The Sun. He has transformed Napoli into a strong attacking unit with three attacking forwards who interchange positions with each other freely.

He is the ideal candidate to take over from Conte because he is a manager who delivers with the resources available to him. He has worked with under-performing players and transformed them into pivotal players in the side.

Antonio Conte has a conservative approach to the game while Sarri has an attacking mindset that could help transform Chelsea into one of the best clubs in Europe's top flight.

Sarri has been playing a 4-3-3 formation with Napoli, where he prefers defenders who have attacking capabilities, a mindset that will suit the likes of Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta.