Chelsea have made contact over replacing Liam Rosenior as their manager at the end of the season, according to Football Insider.
The Blues parted ways with Enzo Maresca back in January after a public falling out, which saw them move to appoint Rosenior from sister club Strasbourg despite his lack of experience at the highest level.
The appointment drew criticism from fans, and the former Brighton and Fulham star has gone on to struggle in the role, falling to sixth in the Premier League and battling to qualify for the Champions League next season, while they were also humiliated in this season's edition of the tournament by Paris Saint-Germain.
Chelsea Likely to Sack Rosenior
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior looks on during the loss to Everton
Chelsea progressed to the semi-finals of the FA Cup over the weekend with a dominant 7-0 win over League One outfit Port Vale, which snapped a horrific run of form, which had seen them lose their last four games in all competitions, including an 8-2 drubbing at the hands of PSG.
But despite the trip to Wembley being confirmed, Chelsea chiefs are understood to be unhappy about the lack of progress under Rosenior and he is now understood to be considered a 'dead man walking' internally at Stamford Bridge.
Football Insider reports that Chelsea are already laying the groundwork to appoint a replacement, with early feelers sent out to agents and third parties representing potential candidates.
GIVEMESPORT sources understand that Chelsea have no plans to sack Rosenior at this stage, even if they don't reach the Champions League, as they want to give him at least a full season in charge before carrying out any formal performance review.
Chelsea Must Qualify for Champions League
Liam Rosenior and Cole Palmer
While differing reports emerge over the future of the manager, one thing for sure is that Chelsea's board will be expecting to be taking part in the Champions League next season no matter what.
Missing out on a place in the competition would be catastrophic for the club's plans in the transfer market, and would likely see a number of top stars such as Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Cole Palmer begin to attract attention from elsewhere about a potential move away.
Chelsea hold all the cards when it comes to negotiations due to their contract length, but it will be more difficult to keep unhappy players around if you're not competing at the highest level, and the money they would miss out on would also be a huge blow, and isn't something they can take lightly.