CHELSEA will not be making a move for Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.
A list of between five and seven candidates to replace axed Graham Potter is being drawn up by chairman Todd Boehly.
Chelsea will not make a move for Roberto De Zerbi are admirers of the Brighton boss
Chelsea have made contact with Julian Nagelsmann
The club have also spoken to Luis Enrique
Contact will soon be made with the interested parties but highly respected de Zerbi is not among them.
According to The Telegraph, the Blues have already spoken to former Spain boss Luis Enrique and ex-Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann, who is thought to be the favourite for the job.
Both are said to be interested in the job but Nagelsmann may only be prepared to take charge in the summer.
Chelsea are huge admirers of Italian De Zerbi’s work but while they have the utmost respect for him and Brighton he is not seen as the right fit.
Recently axed Bayern boss Nagelsmann, Fulham chief Marco Silva, Mauricio Pochettino, formerly of Tottenham, and ex-Barcelona and Enrique are also on the list.
Napoli’s Luciano Spalletti and Oliver Glasner of Eintracht Frankfurt have emerged as runners in the race.
Potter was axed on Sunday and is now on holiday taking a break.
He lasted only seven months of a five-year deal before being sacked.
First-team coach Bruno Saltor has taken temporary charge.
Chelsea are only now getting started on the recruitment process.
They made a conscious decision not to think about lining up a new boss until after Potter was told of the decision to dispense with his services.
A new boss is likely to be in charge before the end of the season however.
