Xavi Hernandez is not on Chelsea’s shortlist of Mauricio Pochettino’s replacements, as the Blues have new names to consider.
According to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol, Xavi Hernandez is not on Chelsea’s shortlist of new managers. The Blues are in the market to replace Mauricio Pochettino, and Roberto De Zerbi is among those shortlisted, but not the outgoing Barcelona manager.
No Xavi hernandez move for Chelsea
Many Premier League and continental sides find themselves in a peculiar situation, as there’s a big search for viable managers ongoing. Chelsea have placed themselves at the centre of this search after dispensing with Maurico Pochettino, who ended the season strongly in sixth place.
There have been many names discussed to replace the Argentine, but as per Kaveh Solhekol, Xavi Hernandez is separate from their shortlist. Some media outlets were keen to link the outgoing Barcelona manager with the Stamford Bridge job, but that may not be the case after all.
Xavi will leave Barcelona after nearly two-and-a-half years at the helm, with Hansi Flick the clear favourite to replace the Catalan great. Some rumours have suggested that Xavi might be in an excellent position to manage in the Premier League, and Chelsea could have been a great destination for him to continue his managerial career.
However, the Blues have other plans, with Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Enzo Maresca, and Kieran McKenna on their shortlist. In truth, it’s an ambitious list, with only the former Brighton man and the current Brentford manager possessing decent experience in the Premier League.
Who will become Chelsea’s next manager?
In fact, Maresca seems like the front runner and is open to talks with Chelsea to become their new manager. However, neither the Leicester boss nor his Championship rival McKenna have any Premier League management experience, which makes these choices a bit questionable.
Chelsea have already ruled out Michel and Sebastian Hoeness from their list, with the latter seemingly rejecting the idea firsthand. As things stand, De Zerbi might seem like a viable option, although Maresca appears like the favourite to replace Pochettino in the coming period.
