Nagelsmann, Pochettino and the leading contenders to become next Chelsea manager

Graham Potter was relieved of his duties on Sunday, less than 24 hours after defeat to Aston Villa

Graham Potter was sacked as Chelsea manager on Sunday, following Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa. Getty

Graham Potter was sacked as Chelsea manager on Sunday after less than seven months in charge.

The Englishman's arrival was meant to usher in an era of long-term stability for the Blues under the new ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who took over the club after two successful, albeit trigger-happy, decades of Roman Abramovich rule.

Instead, Chelsea are in the market for the second time this season having parted ways with Champions League-winning manager Thomas Tuchel last September.

While the club's owners had previously been steadfast in their support of Potter, ultimately results have not been good enough. The 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday dropped Chelsea into the bottom half in the Premier League and proved the last straw for the former Brighton manager.

Attention now turns to who will replace Potter in the Chelsea dugout. Here are five leading contenders to become the next Chelsea manager.

Julian Nagelsmann

The manager immediately installed as the favourite to become the next Chelsea manager, did Nagelsmann's availability convince the Chelsea board to part ways with Potter now instead of later?

The 35-year-old German is regarded as one of the finest young managers in world football, and after working wonders at Hoffenheim and establishing RB Leipzig as the second-best team in Germany, he got his shot at Bayern Munich in April 2021.

So convinced were Bayern that Nagelsmann was their long-term answer, the club paid a then world record €25 million to sign him from Leipzig and offered him a five-year contract. The obligatory Bundesliga title was secured in his debut season, which also saw a disappointing Champions League quarter-final exit.

Nagelsmann was sacked last month with Bayern second in the Bundesliga and into the last eight of the Champions League, amid concerns of the team's overall post-World Cup form. Incidentally, he has been replaced by former Chelsea manager Tuchel.

Reports have suggested Nagelsmann is more likely to decide his next move at the end of the season, so if Chelsea are indeed keen, they may need to wait to get their man. Tottenham are also reportedly interested in the German.

Mauricio Pochettino

Another name linked to both the Chelsea and Tottenham vacancies, Pochettino has been out of work since getting sacked by Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2021/22 season.

Pochettino, 51, retains a lot of credit for the work he did at Spurs, leading the club to an unlikely Champions League final in 2019 and to four successive top-four finishes in the Premier League.

The Argentine left Tottenham in November 2019 following an alarming downturn in results, and after a break, returned to management with PSG in January 2021. He won the Ligue 1 title in his one full season but only reached the Round of 16 in the Champions League.

Pochettino's Premier League experience, famed man-management, and preference for high-pressing and attacking football should attract the Chelsea owners, although his connection to rivals Spurs could be held against him.

Luis Enrique

One of the big concerns Chelsea fans had about Potter was his profile: did the Englishman have the pedigree and personality to handle the demands of a club the size of Chelsea and the egos of its superstar squad?

If the Blues are seeking a big-name manager with plenty of that exact experience, former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique should be under consideration.

A star for Real Madrid and Barcelona during a distinguished playing career, Luis Enrique made the transition to management in 2008 with Barcelona B and had short stints at Roma and Celta Vigo.

But it was his appointment as Barcelona manager in 2014 which elevated Luis Enrique to the top-tier as the 52-year-old Spaniard presided over the last great Barca era, leading the club to seven major trophies in just three seasons.

He has since had two spells as Spain national team manager but left after their last-16 exit to Morocco at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

A high-profile name with big trophies on his CV and proven ability of handling the biggest stars, Luis Enrique would appear an ideal fit for Chelsea.

Zinedine Zidane

Many of the same reasons for why Chelsea might be interested in Luis Enrique should also apply to Zidane.

Few, if any, managers in world football can rival the Frenchman in terms of his standing in the game, both as a player and a coach. One of the greatest midfielders the game has ever seen, Zidane's move into management was seamless, albeit being aided by taking charge of one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Still, demands are high at Real Madrid and Zidane led the club to two La Liga titles over two separate spells in charge. However, it was his success in the Champions League that stands out: under Zidane, Real became the first club to win the trophy three times in a row.

Both times Zidane left Real it was at his own discretion, making him one of very few coaches to leave the Spanish giants on his own terms. Zidane has been out of management since 2021, and while there was some talk he could become France manager, Didier Deschamps ultimately remained in the job.

If Chelsea did hold an interest in ZIdane, the biggest obstacle could come from other clubs. PSG have been linked with the former France captain, while a third stint at Real has also been mentioned.

Brendan Rodgers

Perhaps the least glamorous of the names on this list, but there is plenty about Rodgers that makes sense. The Northern Irishman has a connection to the club having begun his career as the reserve team manager between 2006 and 2008, and he has plenty of impressive Premier League experience.

Rodgers' time at Liverpool may have fizzled out but he did establish the Reds as Premier League title contenders during the 2013/14 season, and after inevitably winning it all in Scotland with Celtic for three seasons, returned to England take over at Leicester City in 2019.

Rodgers stabilised the club to finish ninth in the Premier League in his first half-season then secured successive fifth places while also guiding the Foxes to their first ever FA Cup triumph. Leicester also reached their first European semi-final last season in the Europa Conference League.

However, like Potter, Rodgers was relieved of his duties this past weekend as Leicester slipped into the relegation zone. While that is unlikely to fill Chelsea fans with confidence, much of the club's decline can be attributed to the lack of funding Rodgers has received in the past two years while also seeing his best players sold and not replaced.

Rodgers may not be the big name the fans crave, but his experience, availability, and connection to the club could see him at least added to the shortlist.