Chelsea are close to appointing Marcelo Gallardo as their new manager at Stamford Bridge, according to reports.
What's the latest manager news at Chelsea?
Todd Boehly has placed Frank Lampard in charge until the end of the season whilst he continues his search behind-the-scenes to find Graham Potter’s long-term successor – and there have already been names of several potential candidates doing the rounds.
Former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann and ex-Spain coach Luis Enrique currently appear to be the two leading contenders, but Gallardo is a left-field name to have also been linked, having departed River Plate in December.
The Argentinian chose to step down from his duties after a hugely successful eight-year tenure, having decided not to extend his stay beyond the expiration of his contract, meaning that he is now on the lookout for a new challenge – and it sounds like he might not be far away from sealing a move to his next destination.
According to Brazilian outlet UOL (via Sport Witness), Gallardo is “close” to taking over the reins in the dugout at Chelsea. River Plate's former coach was “already given a go-ahead” by Enzo Fernandez, who he managed during his time in Buenos Aires, and it’s stated that he views him “practically like a father”. The 47-year-old is a “big fan” of the Premier League and sees the Blues as a “great front door” as his introduction to management in Europe.
Would Gallardo be the right fit for Chelsea?
Gallardo became a managerial “legend” for his success at River Plate, as per journalist Josh Bunting, and looking at his previous track record, there’s no reason why he couldn’t have the same effect should he take over at Chelsea.
The Merlo native won 232 and drew 101 of his 424 games with the Primera Division outfit, where he was averaging 1.88 points per match, (as per Transfermarkt), highlighting how he is capable of getting his team performing on a consistent basis. The attack-minded 4-3-3 boss has also secured ten trophies throughout his career on the sidelines, with nine of those being at River Plate, showing that he can guide his team to silverware when given the chance.
Gallardo being a free agent on the market right now also means that the Blues wouldn’t have to pay any compensation to secure his services, so Boehly should use this, alongside the fact that he seemingly wants to join, to his advantage and bring him to SW6.
