6 Candidates to Replace Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea Manager if He Leaves for Juventus

There has been plenty of speculation about Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea future, but the boss turned all that into stone-cold fact by confessing he wanted to return home.

It's nice that the trigger-happy Blues are not completely to blame here, but it's clear that something hasn't been right in this relationship from the get-go. If and when he heads to Juventus, Chelsea will need to replace him.

Here are six candidates to become the next Chelsea manager, and whether or not a move for them is likely.

Jose Mourinho

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As Chelsea's greatest ever manager, it should come as no surprise that Jose Mourinho finds himself linked with the club again. He won trophy after trophy with Chelsea, so his resume speaks for itself.

However, there are plenty of stumbling blocks here. Firstly, the way his last spell at Stamford Bridge ended will not do him any favours. Many players and fans became tired of his antics and his mannerisms as they realised that, when he is not winning, he's actually quite tough to support.

Joining Manchester United will not have gone down well with club officials, and the way that the Red Devils collapsed towards the start of last season left many fans doubting his management ability. 

Time may have proven that that wasn't entirely his fault, but there are just too many concerns for this deal to go through.

Likelihood rating: 2/10

Emma Hayes

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When you talk about success at Chelsea, you cannot forget Emma Hayes, the manager of Chelsea Women. Since joining the Blues in 2012, Hayes has led them to to Women's Super League titles and two FA Cup triumphs, whilst they have enjoyed plenty of deep runs in the Champions League.

Her influence in helping to grow the women's game is huge, and her success has led many to suggest that she could make the jump to the men's team to replace Sarri. She certainly has all the qualifications, whilst she has proven to be a popular, successful figure across her seven years at the club.

Even before joining Chelsea, Hayes enjoyed plenty of trophy-laden seasons in both England and the USA, and she even has experience of working as part of the boardroom staff. She quite clearly has enough about her to take this job.

Hayes deserves the opportunity to impress in an interview, but there could be a few other candidates ahead of her on Chelsea's wish list.

Likelihood rating: 3/10

Erik ten Hag

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Before Erik ten Hag joined Ajax, and even during the early stages of his reign at the Johan Cruijff Arena, most outside the Netherlands did not know who he was. However, after his exploits with De Godenzonen in last season's Champions League, his name is on everyone's lips.

Not only did Ten Hag mastermind some incredible results against Juventus and Real Madrid, but he did so in style. Ajax played a stunning brand of football, dominating possession and attacking with the sort of fluidity that causes nightmares for even the best defenders. 

That's the kind of thing Chelsea wanted from Sarri, but things never went exactly to plan for the Italian who, for whatever reason, struggled to implement his style at Stamford Bridge for a large part of the season.

Ajax will be desperate to keep Ten Hag around, so signing him is probably easier said than done. They're already set to lose so many key players, so keeping the manager will be a must for them. This wouldn't be impossible for Chelsea, but there are plenty of simpler options.

Likelihood rating: 5/10

Javi Gracia

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As one of the latest candidates for the gig, Watford boss Javi Gracia certainly is an intriguing option.

At times last season the Hornets were electric. They fought to reach the FA Cup final, overturning a 2-0 deficit in the semi-final against Wolves. Even in the Premier League, there were plenty of times when Watford looked like they could win the race for seventh place.

Having said that, it wasn't always plain sailing. They were thumped 6-0 by Manchester City in the FA Cup final (although Chelsea themselves didn't even manage better than that), and their form was horribly inconsistent throughout the year. They ended up 11th, which isn't exactly the most impressive result.

He wouldn't be the worst appointment, but there will surely be some other, more appealing alternatives.

Likelihood rating: 6/10

Nuno Espirito Santo

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Wolverhampton Wanderers earned a huge amount of praise last season, and plenty of credit has to go to Nuno Espirito Santo. Yes, they spent a lot of money but, as we've seen in the past, putting the pieces together is not always as easy as it sounds.

Guiding a newly promoted team to seventh in the Premier League is nothing short of extraordinary. Nuno had his side playing exciting football, whilst also ensuring that they were resolute defensively against even the best opponents. He knows how to win games and, more importantly, he knows how to translate that into results on the pitch.

He's also a beloved figure amongst players and fans, which will be appealing to Chelsea after Sarri didn't exactly win any popularity contests at Stamford Bridge last season. 

The only downside is his lack of experience in charge of an elite Premier League side, but there are more than enough reasons for Chelsea to consider Nuno this summer.

Likelihood rating: 7/10

Frank Lampard

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For Chelsea, it feels like Frank Lampard is walking around with a giant neon arrow pointing to his head, and a huge badge that reads "You Should Hire Me". Ever since he entered the world of management with Derby County last summer, the Blues legend has seemed destined to return to Stamford Bridge.

If club officials want to hire someone who would make fans happy, they need look no further than Lampard. Fans can still be heard singing his name during games, and that would only continue if he returned to the dugout.

Whilst one impressive season with Derby isn't exactly the greatest CV for a potential Chelsea manager, he has definitely done enough to catch the eye. His willingness to play young players like Jayden Bogle, as well as Chelsea starlets Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount, is exactly what the Blues need as they prepare for life under a transfer ban.

Chelsea will have wanted this day to come a few years down the line, once Lampard had more experience under his belt. However, they will likely need to act now, and accelerating their pursuit of Lampard seems like the best way forward.

Likelihood rating: 8/10