Jose Mourinho heads candidates for the next Chelsea manager

We all know that Rafa Benitez is to leave Chelsea in the summer, so who will replace him? Chelsea are at a key crossroads in their progression as a club, and selecting the right man is pivotal. They’ve been hampered in the league by allowing part time managers to pad their CVs so they need someone who will focus on the league.

The only way that they can achieve that is to appoint a man who knows he will have long term backing to implement his ideas and playing style on to the team. Chelsea are very well positioned to be competitive in the new climate of Financial Fair Play as they have a wealth of talented young players both at the club and out on loan. If they choose to back those youngsters and push forward with them as the nucleus, they need a man who will back them. If they want to go out and spend big money they need to be able to trust the right man to do that.

Jose Mourinho

The return of the self anointed ‘Special One’ is a very real possibility. The only stumbling block to overcome is the manner of Mourinho’s exit. He left under a cloud of boardroom interference in transfer policy caused by the infamous signing of Shevchenko who didn’t fit what Mourinho needed or the ethos of his team. With the exception of the signing of Torres, this hasn’t really happened since.

Mourinho is associated with spending money to achieve success but he showed at Porto in particular that he can develop players. Even at Chelsea, he took the likes of Lampard, Terry, Robben and Gallas and made them significantly better than when he first arrived. At Real Madrid, he has introduced Varane to the first team and turned Coentrao and Marcelo in to complete left backs. If he can get his hands on the likes of Hazard, Mata, Lukaku, Oscar and Courtois that form the core of an exceptional team, and make them as good as he made those he inherited first time around, they could be on to something special. This team is young and flaky and a bit of Mourinho grit is exactly what they need to take them to the next level.

If Chelsea want to spend money on the likes of a Falcao or a top defender, then Mourinho has shown that he can fit them in to his teams. Does he want to leave Real Madrid? It does look possible if they win the Champions League.

Jurgen Klopp

Klopp is the best manager of young players in Europe right now. If Chelsea decide to hold off from bids for Lukaku and Courtois and commit fully to their young superstars, then Klopp is the man they need. He would bring his frenzied pressing and rapid attacking system to Chelsea who have similar skill set to the players he has at Dortmund. They could thrive under his leadership and take the Premier League and Europe by storm.

If Chelsea give Klopp some money to spend, he might be able to persuade the likes of Hummels and Gundogan to follow him to Stamford Bridge ahead of a raft of teams who will also be looking at them. He might even be able to persuade Reus or Gotze.

The big question with Klopp is whether he would be interested and I’m not sure he would. He has a wonderful squad of bright young players and if Dortmund make a commitment to keeping hold of them, he can easily be persuaded to stay. However, if he gets a sniff of a sale, particularly given the impending dominance of Bayern, he might be more open to a move. He would be more than capable of handling the circus around Chelsea.

Michael Laudrup

Michael Laudrup was a better player than any of the Chelsea squad have ever been. If they want a manager who can impart his wisdom on to the players and make them play stylish, successful, football Laudrup would be ideal. He has shown in Spain, and now at Swansea, that he is adroit at making players better. Michu was brought in for just £2m and has been trained up in to one of the top attackers in the league. He has won Swansea’s first ever major trophy and overseen an incredibly efficient transfer policy.

Swansea have quite a young team, which Laudrup has shown he is capable of improving. He has all the qualities and calibre needed to teach and coach Chelsea’s younger players and is a more than impressive name if they are looking to recruit big names.

Jupp Heynckes

Heynckes has transformed Bayern this season. Far from carrying a Champions League hangover after defeat in the final last season, Bayern have been a relentless juggernaut in the Bundesliga and have just comfortably swept aside a hugely in form Juventus side in the Champions League quarter finals. Heynckes has shown that he can mould a team out of young and old players. The Bayern team has big name stars and up and coming starlets and he has shown he is equally capable of getting the best of each.

Heynckes wouldn’t cost any release fee which could make him quite attractive, and he is ready to come straight in and be successful. He won’t need time to get his feet under the table which is really what Chelsea need to avoid a media circus if they don’t start quickly next season.