Chelsea: Top manager target will ‘find it hard’ to reject ‘offer’ as ‘two new names’ on shortlist revealed

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·29 April 2026

Chelsea: Top manager target will ‘find it hard’ to reject ‘offer’ as ‘two new names’ on shortlist revealed

According to reports, Chelsea’s leading target to be their next permanent manager will ‘find it hard’ to reject an offer to join them.

Chelsea are currently in the process of finding a new permanent manager, but they have time to make the right decision.

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After parting company with head coach Liam Rosenior last week, the Blues have named Calum McFarlane as their interim boss until the end of this season and he’s guided them into the FA Cup final.

McFarlane will inevitably only prove to be a short-term option and Chelsea are already linked with several permanent candidates.

This includes Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, who is confirmed to be leaving when his contract expires this summer.

Several outlets have named Iraola as Chelsea’s top target to be their next manager, and Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke claims he would ‘find it hard’ to reject the opportunity.

The report explains:

‘The departing Bournemouth boss has already emerged as one of the leading candidates to take the reins at Stamford Bridge this summer, and it is understood that he would “find it hard” to turn down an offer from the Blues. ‘The Spaniard is currently weighing up his array of options for his next move, and sources say that the Chelsea job remains an attractive proposition to top-level bosses, despite a controversial working environment.’

Chelsea ‘add two new names’ to manager shortlist

As mentioned, Chelsea also have other options. Journalist Simon Phillips claims that Oliver Glasner and Niko Kovac are ‘two new names’ on their shortlist.

Phillips added: ‘Things are advancing a little now for the new manager search at Chelsea, and reps of possible new managers are being contacted.’

Back to Rosenior’s exit, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has argued that Chelsea were “crazy” to appoint him.

“I don’t see what the Chelsea owners are trying to do. Develop young players, is that a way of doing it? I don’t know,” Scholes said on The Overlap Fan Debate.

“The owners will take blame for a lot of it, of course they will. Other than the owners, nobody else in and around football thought Liam Rosenior was the right person for Chelsea. It was just crazy for me.

“Once you make that decision, what is Liam going to do? He is not going to say no to a Chelsea job from where he was. But once the owners make that decision, then they have to factor in that there’s going to be times when it’s not going that well.

“Now, losing five Premier League games and not scoring a goal is a big problem and you are not going to survive that and he hasn’t.”