Who could replace Lampard as next Chelsea manager?

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has a big decision to make: stick with Frank Lampard or find a new manager?

The former England midfielder may be a club legend but a run of five defeats in eight games has left the current Blues boss on the brink.

If Abramovich does decide to sack Lampard, who could replace him at the helm?

Thomas Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel is understood to be keen on the Chelsea job, having been considered for the post in the past.

Indeed, the Blues weighed up a move for the German during his time in charge of Borussia Dortmund but ultimately decided to pass.

However, Chelsea remain close to Tuchel's agent and could see him as a coach capable of getting the best out of compatriots Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, while he also worked with Christian Pulisic at Signal Iduna Park.

There's also the fact that having been recently sacked by PSG, Tuchel would be available to take over right away. However, there are doubts over his temperament and his fractious relationship with PSG sporting director Leonardo played a pivotal role in his sudden and acrimonious Parc des Princes exit. 

Nagelsmann: The prodigy with the Werner connection 

RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann is still only 33 and yet is widely regarded as one of Europe's top coaching talents.

Although he has much in his favour, including a clear footballing philosophy, Nagelsmann is relatively inexperienced and he has yet to win a major honour in his career. In addition, he wouldn't consider leaving Leipzig until the end of the season, with his side battling Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title.

However, it is worth remembering that Chelsea's struggling striker Werner developed into one of the best attackers in Europe thanks to Nagelsmann's guidance. 

Chelsea may well feel that there is no man better suited to getting the best out of the Germany international than his former boss.

Allegri: The proven winner 

Massimiliano Allegri has been out of the game since parting company with Juventus in 2019 but no other coach on Chelsea's shortlist has quite the same pedigree as the Italian.

The former AC Milan boss was not a popular appointment among the Bianconeri's fans but he won five consecutive Serie A titles, and twice reached the Champions League final.

Consequently, Chelsea have long held an interest in Allegri, who has made no secret of his desire to one day work in the Premier League, and has been taking English lessons for the past few years.

Hasenhuttl: The overachiever 

Ralph Hasenhuttl's Southampton side have the same number of points as Chelsea at the halfway point in the season – despite having played a game fewer. It is a remarkable achievement for a manager working with such limited resources, producing a style of football that has earned plaudits from across the Premier League.

However, Southampton could lose several key players this summer, including star striker Danny Ings, and that could present Chelsea with an opportunity to lure Hasenhuttl away from St Mary's.

Of course, the Saints would likely demand compensation for a coach who has never won a major title in one of Europe's 'Big Five' leagues.

Chelsea, though, may feel it is a price worth paying. Hassenhuttl has almost 15 years of coaching experience across various tiers of the Bundesliga, with his biggest achievement to date arguably guiding RB Leipzig to second place after promotion from the second division.

Shevchenko: A long shot but Roman's friend

Former Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko is a huge outsider for the post but his success with Ukraine and relationship with Roman Abramovich mean he cannot be discounted.

It was, after all, Abramovich who persuaded Shevchenko to quit AC Milan in 2006 to move to west London, where the 44-year-old still spends a lot of his time.

In addition, Shevchenko is hoping to soon move into club management, albeit not until after he leads Ukraine out at this year's European Championship.

Rangnick: The influencer

No contender for the Chelsea job commands as much respect within the football coaching community as Ralf Rangnick.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was inspired by his fellow German's methods, while Nagelsmann, Hasenhuttl and Tuchel were all hugely influenced by Rangnick's ideas.

Rangnick was central to the Red Bull project at Leipzig and Salzburg, as both a coach and a director of football.

AC Milan were close to giving him a job last year only to have a dramatic change of heart following Stefano Pioli's success, while he has also been linked with Arsenal in the past.

Like Allegri, Rangnick has now had almost two years out of the game and it is not yet known if he is among the leading contenders for the Chelsea job.

However, given his proven track record in terms of scouting, recruitment and youth development, it would be a surprise if he is not at least under consideration.

Rodgers: The prodigal son

Brendan Rodgers came through Chelsea's academy to prove himself one of the UK's best coaches across spells at Swansea, Liverpool, Celtic and now a upwardly mobile Leicester City.

Indeed, his fantastic Foxes side may just have hammered home the final nail in the coffin of Lampard's Chelsea career with a 2-0 win at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night.

However, while Rodgers should be one of the top contenders for the Chelsea job, he isn't universally admired at Stamford Bridge because he has made comments in the past that annoyed certain influential figures at the club.

It could be significant, then, that he tried to mend some bridges on Tuesday. However, Rodgers still has four and a half years remaining on his Leicester contract, which makes him a very expensive option for Chelsea. 

Lampard: A stay of execution? 

Chelsea's patience with Lampard is understood to be wearing very thin.

Bruce Buck and Petr Cech were present for the Leicester loss, while Roman Abramovich and director Marina Granovskaia watched on from afar. Lampard is attempting to argue that he needs to be given the time that Jurgen Klopp was afforded to put Liverpool back on top of English football.

It helps that he retains the support of much of the dressing room, although his authority is waning with each defeat and through his increased criticism of the team.

Chelsea supporters almost all still support Lampard and are planning a display at the next home game to urge Abramovich to stick with their iconic former player.

Whether it will be enough to keep Lampard in a job remains to be seen, particularly with so many potential replacements out there..