Chelsea line up surprise alternative to Lampard as hunt for Sarri’s replacement gathers pace

Posted by

Chelsea have identified RB Leipzig boss Ralf Rangnick as a contender to succeed Maurizio Sarri in the hot seat at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are on the verge of losing yet another manager, with an arrangement for Sarri to take over at Juventus now in place.

According to BBC Sport, the two clubs have agreed on a compensation fee of £5 million after successful negotiations between senior officials, with an announcement expected this weekend.

Sarri managed to guide Chelsea to a third-place Premier League finish and Europa League glory during his first year at the helm, but he faced persistent criticism from fans and experts over his stubborn tactics and predictable selection policy.

Sarri is on the verge of leaving Chelsea for Juventus

BBC Sport states that club legend and current Derby County head coach Frank Lampard is the favourite to replace Sarri, but as a managerial hunt gathers pace, a surprise alternative has also been lined up.

German publication Bild reports that Leipzig’s Ralf Rangnick is being considered for the top job at Chelsea, after stepping down from his managerial duties at Red Bull Arena in May.

The 60-year-old has taken up a new role as head of sport and development soccer at Leipzig, with Julian Nagelsmann set to fill his boots in the dugout this summer.

The Blues could offer Rangnick a quick route back into top-level management and it is believed he has always been intrigued by the possibility of working in the Premier League.

Ralf-Rangnick
Ralf Rangnick guided Leipzig to a third-place Bundesliga finish last season

Lampard remains the first choice for the Blues – as per Metro Sport – given his promising debut campaign at Derby and his past links to the Bridge, with supporters likely to welcome his return.

However, Rangnick is certainly not a bad back up option, having masterminded Leipzig’s return to the Champions League with a third-place Bundesliga finish last term.

More Stories Frank Lampard Julian Nagelsmann Maurizio Sarri Ralf Rangnick