“Ange Postecoglou Emerges as a Contender for Chelsea’s Next Manager”

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is reportedly one of the candidates to be Chelsea’s next manager, and is the identity of the ‘mystery name’ on their shortlist.

The Blues look for their next permanent appointment after the departure of Graham Potter on April 3.

Club legend Frank Lampard has returned for a second season at the helm, this time until the end of the season on an interim basis.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have been formulating a shortlist to be their next manager, with a view to having a new full-time boss ahead of the new campaign.

It was revealed on Friday that a ‘mystery name’ has joined Mauricio Pochettino and Vincent Kompany in the race.

The unknown candidate was understood to be a well-respected and well-liked coach, and The Guardian has now reported that Postecoglou has emerged as a contender for the role.

The Australian boss is set to win his second Scottish Premier League title with Celtic in as many seasons in the coming weeks.

Postecoglou also has Champions League coaching experience, but Chelsea are said to be more in favor of Pochettino.

The former Tottenham boss is leading the race for the job following Julian Nagelsmann’s withdrawal from the process.

The German had been the favourite, but according to talkSPORT sources, Chelsea had the feeling that the former Bayern Munich manager wanted the job handed over to him, rather than go through the recruitment process.

Nagelsmann is also said to have grown increasingly frustrated with the time the appointment was taking and then withdrew, which came as a surprise to the Blues bosses as he was their preferred candidate.

Chelsea are currently 11th in the Premier League table and were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid earlier in the week.

Lampard has lost all four games since returning to the club, with the Blues also riding a seven-game winless run.