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Report: Chelsea now rule out getting ‘outstanding’ manager, he’s still on Tottenham’s wishlist

Roberto De Zerbi will not be Chelsea’s next manager after he was ruled out as a potential candidate by the Blues.

The Times that Chelsea aren’t keen on De Zerbi, but, interestingly, they have previously that the Italian could end up at Tottenham Hotspur as Antonio Conte’s replacement, so Brighton may still be in danger of losing their manager this summer.

It isn’t just The Times who are reporting this story either, David Ornstein has also said similar on NBC Sports.

“They’re prioritising a quality decision over a quick one. One person who won’t be getting the job is Roberto De Zerbi of Brighton and Hove Albion so they can sleep easily knowing that Chelsea won’t be coming for another of their staff members. He didn’t fit the profile so he won’t be on the list and contact has not been established on that front,” Ornstein said.

Stoke City v Brighton and Hove Albion: Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round
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Chelsea ignoring De Zerbi certainly makes sense optically.

Indeed, after Graham Potter’s disastrous spell at Stamford Bridge, going out and hiring another, relatively unknown, Brighton manager would not have played well with the fanbase or the players either.

Of course, De Zerbi is a fantastic manager who probably deserves to get a shot at a club like Chelsea, but if ever there was a case of being the right manager at the wrong time, this is it.

Why Chelsea don’t want De Zerbi at this moment in time isn’t clear, but it sounds as though they may be going for a more high-profile option with Champions League experience with Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique named as two top targets in this report.

As for Tottenham, their search will be largely affected by what the likes of Chelsea and Real Madrid do in the coming months, but the fact that the Blues aren’t going for De Zerbi should give them a clearer path to hiring the ‘outstanding’ manager should they wish to do so.

Brighton & Hove Albion v Crystal Palace - Premier League
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