Chelsea are reportedly lining up Everton boss David Moyes as the man to replace Rafael Benitez at the end of the season.
Moyes's Everton contract runs out in the summer, and although it is thought that he will extend it, Chelsea are ready to make a move should the situation continue to drag on.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Moyes is waiting to see if Everton can keep hold of star players such as Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines before committing to a new deal.
It is also reported that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is not against retaining interim manager Benitez, but the hostile stance of the club's fans make that difficult.
Jose Mourinho, who may leave Real Madrid in the summer, has also been touted for a possible return to Stamford Bridge but a falling-out with Abramovich in 2007 means he would prefer to go to Paris Saint-Germain.
It had been thought that Chelsea were targeting Pep Guardiola but the former Barcelona manager recently announced that he will take over at Bayern Munich next season.