Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has become the bookmakers' favourite to be appointed by Chelsea as the club's new manager on a temporary basis.

The Premier League outfit are in the hunt for a new first-team boss after sacking Roberto Di Matteo this morning following last night's 3-0 defeat to Juventus in the Champions League.

Benitez, who has been out of work since leaving Inter Milan in 2010, is the odds-on favourite to replace Di Matteo at Stamford Bridge on an interim role.

Despite the rumours, Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has insisted that the Blues have not approached the 52-year-old over the vacancy.

Former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, who is on a year's sabbatical, is thought to be the main target for Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.