Reports in England claim champions Chelsea FC are assessing the option of replacing the struggling Jos Mourinho with Atl tico Madrid manager Diego Simeone
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Chelsea FC have made their worst ever start to a Premier League season, picking up just 8 points from their opening 8 games. Even though current manager Jos Mourinho was publicly backed by the club — a momentous announcement that was the first of its kind in the Roman Abramovich era — it is likely that the Blues’ board will begin to put out feelers for their top candidates to replace the Portuguese.
Diego Simeone seems to be one of them, with the Argentine scaling incredible heights with Atl tico Madrid over the past few seasons, including winning the Spanish league in 2013-14 and reaching the final of the UEFA Champions League in the same season.
Chelsea FC looking at Diego Simeone as potential Mourinho replacement
According to UK newspaper The Daily Mirror, Chelsea FC are currently browsing Spain for a potential replacement for Mourinho, with Diego Simeone being heavily rumoured to be the principle candidate. The Atl ti manager signed a new five-year contract in March this year, however, believed to be worth A?22.5m.
2) He’ll cost A?15m but Chelsea are already making plans if Mourinho’s struggles continue http://t.co/5rPNE1WC8N pic.twitter.com/aBhZ1oqfCE
a Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) October 10, 2015
The Mirror’s report claims that it included a A?15m buy-out clause that either party could activate at the end of each season, and Chelsea FC will have to cough up that money if they are to prize him away from the Spanish capital.
Mourinho seems determined to turn the Blues’ fortunes around however, and any move to remove him from the managerial hot-seat is unlikely to come before the end of the season.
Simeone an unrealistic target for Chelsea FC at present
Diego Simeone has proven himself to be one of the leading managers in Europe, but seems to be fully committed to continuing at Atl tico and challenging the FC Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly in Spain. Although contracts seem to mean little in football these days, his five-year deal was a display of his commitment to the Madrid-based club, and it is unlikely that he will consider a move away at this stage.
Even if Chelsea FC do eventually decide to replace Mourinho at the end of the season, they will probably have to look elsewhere for their next manager. Quite simply, there is no indication whatsoever that Simeone would be interested in moving away, and the bond he has with Atl ti and their supporters is probably a big reason for that.
Roman Abramovich would do well to retain the services of Mourinho and give the Portuguese some time to rebuild the core of a squad that has lost the likes of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard in the recent past, and could well lose captain John Terry in the near future.