Roberto De Zerbi has made the shortlist to become the new Chelsea head coach, talkSPORT understands.
The Blues announced on Tuesday that they had agreed to mutually part ways with Mauricio Pochettino after just one season together.
Pochettino helped guide Chelsea to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League and the Carabao Cup final amid an injury-ridden campaign.
The Argentine signed a two-year deal with the club last summer but he will no longer be in charge of the side next season.
Chelsea have therefore commenced their search for their next head coach and former Brighton boss De Zerbi is in the running.
The Italian mutually agreed to terminate his contract at the Seagulls but Chelsea will still have to pay compensation to Brighton should they wish to appoint him this summer.
There was a release clause in excess of £10million in De Zerbi’s now-defunct contract in case other clubs were interested in him.
talkSPORT understands despite an amicable parting of ways to allow De Zerbi to leave without a pay-off, any club who want to hire him would still have to pay a fee to Brighton.
The amount is set to be decided on a sliding scale depending on timing, with De Zerbi certainly in Chelsea’s thinking.
He joins Leicester’s Enzo Maresca, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna and Brentford’s Thomas Frank on the Blues’ shortlist.
talkSPORT understands Chelsea will ask Leicester for permission to speak to Maresca, who joined from Manchester City last summer.
He won the Championship title in his first season with the Foxes to secure their instant return to the Premier League.
Chelsea want to recruit a young coach, with 38-year-old McKenna admired but they face competition from Brighton.
The former Manchester United coach sealed back-to-back promotions with Ipswich as they finished second behind Leicester in the Championship.
Frank is just the second candidate with Premier League experience to his name already alongside De Zerbi.
The Dane has been with Brentford since 2016 and was key to their promotion to the Premier League in 2021.
He has since been able to keep them in the top-flight, with west London neighbours Chelsea interested in potentially hiring him.