Next Chelsea Manager Odds: De Zerbi and McKenna battle it out

Just when you thought things were going smoothly at Chelsea, they have parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine looked to have turned things around at Stamford Bridge having finished the season on a high, and qualified for the Europa League after winning the last five league games of the Premier League. 

However, Todd Boehly has once again pulled the trigger and is now looking for his fifth manager since he arrived in London in 2022. Below we’ve looked at the Next Chelsea Manager Odds, and discussed the credentials of each candidate. 

Roberto De Zerbi @ 7/4

The favourite to take the Chelsea job is former Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, and it could be a case of adding two and two together, and getting four. The Italian did a cracking job at Brighton last term, taking them to the Europa League after replacing Graham Potter (who incidentally also left for Chelsea). 

However, the end of this season has been somewhat of a damp squib. Brighton finished 11th, below rivals Crystal Palace, and won just one of their last ten matches. With De Zerbi announcing his exit before the final game, and then Poch getting the boot - it all seems a little too convenient to simply be a coincidence. 

Kieran McKenna @ 5/2

The Ipswich manager is hot property right now. Having taken the Tractor Boys from 15th in League 1 to the Premier League in two and a half seasons, he has certainly taken to first team management like a duck to water. But his success means he may now look to move on from Ipswich, to another Premier League side. 

Brighton seemed like an obvious choice, a well-run club who would likely give him an opportunity to push for Europe - and he is the current favourite to be the Next Brighton Manager -  but Chelsea don’t want to miss out on the 38-year-old. Given the club want a young manager with fresh ideas, he fits the bill, but it does feel like a massive step up for a gaffer who has never managed in the top flight. 

Ruben Amorim @ 8/1

The current coach of Sporting CP, Amorim has been in the frame for these sorts of jobs for a couple of years now. However, his stock is higher than ever before right now, as he has just won Liga Portugal by 10 points, losing just twice domestically all season. 

Beating the likes of Benfica and Porto to the title is some achievement, and he has also proved his worth in the transfer market, signing Viktor Gyokeres from Championship side Coventry City in 2023. After 58 goal contributions in 49 games this season, his value has sky-rocketed. Perhaps Chelsea could convince both to join them this summer. 

Thomas Tuchel @ 10/1

Hang on a second. Thomas Tuchel - the man who Chelsea savagely sacked just months after he won them the Champions League? Surely he would never return. Some reports suggest he had a falling out with the Chelsea board, and they sacked him for a young British manager in the form of Graham Potter. 

Two more managers down the line, Tuchel is now out of a job having left Bayern Munich, and will certainly be a prime contender for a big club. But not Chelsea. I feel too many bridges have been burned for this relationship to be repaired, even though it would be a popular move with fans. 

Thomas Frank @ 12/1

Brentford boss Thomas Frank is also in the running, and it feels like he will get a move to a top six club at some point. Having got Brentford into the Premier League, he has safely kept them there in some style, with the threat of relegation never too severe for a club that spends well within their means. 

Although he is a decent candidate, I don’t think Chelsea fans would be delighted with the club sacking Pochettino for a manager whose team finished 16th this season. It’s a no-go from my point of view. 

Jose Mourinho @ 20/1

Chelsea cannot seem to settle on what they want. A young ambitious manager may be the order of the day, but the lure of Mourinho is always worthy of consideration. Arguably the greatest manager in Chelsea’s history, and now out of a job having left Roma this season, I don’t think he would be able to turn down an approach from Boehly. 

However, having tried a big-name coach and subsequently fired him this season, it seems like Chelsea are reverting back to a manager in the mould of Graham Potter. The top two in the betting here are the most likely candidates for a Chelsea team looking to plan for long-term success. 

Check out our other Football Betting Tips here.