The managerial carousel at Chelsea continues to spin with the latest rumour suggesting a potential return for club legend Jose Mourinho for an unprecedented third stint.
Chelsea’s quest for a new gaffer follows their split with Mauricio Pochettino earlier this week. Since Pochettino’s departure from Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening, Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna has been leading the race, with Leicester City’s Enzo Maresca, Sporting’s Ruben Amorim and ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi also in the frame.
Mourinho, currently without a job after his dismissal from Roma earlier this year, was initially seen as a long shot for a third tenure at Stamford Bridge. However, those odds have significantly shortened, prompting the possibility that the Chelsea legend could make a stunning return.
Should Jose Mourinho ever return to the helm at Chelsea, the Express report that there are several players he could potentially bring along from his time in Italy. Mourinho had successful stints with Inter Milan from 2008-2010 and Roma from 2021 to present, even clinching the UEFA Europa Conference League in 2021.
So, who might Mourinho consider bringing to Stamford Bridge?
AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori could be a smart acquisition. The England international, who came through Chelsea’s ranks, could provide competition for Axel Disasi and Levi Colwill, especially with Thiago Silva set to depart this summer.
Mourinho was at the club when Tomori was part of the youth academy, and a return to Stamford Bridge could boost his chances of future England call-ups if he impresses on the pitch.
Another player Mourinho may wish to reunite with is Tammy Abraham. The former Chelsea striker thrived under Mourinho at Roma, netting 26 goals in 81 appearances before suffering a severe knee injury last season.
However, he returned to action last month and scored his first goal of the season against Napoli. It seems unlikely that Boehly would approve a move for Abraham, with Chelsea likely preferring to give game time to their current forwards, including the prolific Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku and Nicholas Jackson, the report states.
Mourinho could potentially turn his attention to Roma defender Evan Ndicka, who has been linked with Liverpool in the past. If Mourinho were to make a surprise return to Chelsea, he might attempt to snatch the Frenchman from under the Reds’ noses.
Ndicka was heavily rumoured to be Premier League-bound last summer, but instead joined Roma and has been a regular feature in Mourinho’s squad this season.
Another potential target for Mourinho could be ex-Manchester United player Chris Smalling. Since moving to Roma in 2019, Smalling has made over 100 appearances at the Stadio Olimpico and has been a success. While it seems unlikely, it wouldn’t be out of character for Mourinho to bring the former Manchester United man along.
Romelu Lukaku is another name that comes to mind. The Belgian striker played under Mourinho this season and netted 13 goals.
Despite still being contracted to Chelsea after they splashed out a whopping £97.5 million on him, it’s doubtful he would be called upon following his loan spells at Inter Milan and Roma since 2022.
