Chelsea consider re-appointing ex-Premier League winning boss as managerial hunt takes shock turn: Reports
Chelsea are considering a shock approach for Antonio Conte as they continue their search for their next long-term manager, according to The Independent.
The Blues have been on the hunt for a new manager since sacking Graham Potter on Sunday (April 2). They decided to pull the plug on the Englishman less than seven months into his tenure following the team's 2-0 loss to Aston Villa at the weekend.
Chelsea are said to be keen to conduct a thorough search before appointing their next long-term boss. They are even set to re-hire Frank Lampard on an interim basis to take time to identify the ideal candidate.
Julian Nagelsmann, who was sacked as Bayern Munich boss a fortnight ago, has been mooted as a potential option for the Blues. There have been claims that initial talks have taken place between the two parties.
Former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique is also under consideration at Stamford Bridge. According to the aforementioned source, the Spaniard traveled to London to hold further talks with the club on Wednesday (April 5).
Enrique reportedly impressed the Chelsea hierarchy during the talks, highlighting his vision for a 4-3-3 formation. The Premier League giants, though, are expected to assess all their options before making a decision.
Conte has now emerged as a shock managerial target for the Stamford Bridge outfit, as per the report. The club are considering holding talks with the Italian tactician as their hunt for a new boss takes a surprise turn.
Conte was most recently in charge of the Blues' London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. He was removed from his role as Spurs' manager following a string of poor results on March 26.
More importantly, however, the 53-year-old was at the helm at Chelsea for two years between 2016 and 2018. He is the last manager to have led the club to Premier League glory.
The club's co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghali are thus keen to see what Conte can offer. They have already been in touch with the Italian through intermediaries and could reportedly schedule a meeting next week.
How Antonio Conte fare at Chelsea?
Antonio Conte took the reins at Chelsea following a two-year stint as the Italy national team head coach in 2016. He won the Premier League with the club in his first season.
The tactician led the Blues to FA Cup glory the following campaign, but was ultimately sacked as the club finished out of the top four in the league. His stint with Tottenham was not too different.