Ex-Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers the shock new favourite to be Chelsea manager next

BRENDAN RODGERS is the shock favourite to be Chelsea manager at the start of next season. 

 

Brendan Rodgers is the new favourite to be Chelsea's next permanent manager

 

Rodgers was dismissed by Liverpool in October and remains out of work.

Chelsea sacked Jose Mourinho earlier this month and have installed Guus Hiddink until the end of the season.

And, while Roman Abramovich is desperate to land Pep Guardiola, Rodgers has emerged as the new favourite to take the Stamford Brige hot seat.

 

Guardiola is expected to join Manchester City in the summer and has already confirmed he will leave Bayern Munich when his contract expires.

But News News Blog Sport understands Abramovich is still in the race to get his number one target.

However SkyBet have now made Rodgers their front-runner.

 

Rodgers worked at Stamford Bridge as a youth and reserve team coach before embarking on his own management career.

He was one of the names being linked with the post when Mourinho's position came under threat and has also been offered a big money move to the middle east.

He rejected the chance to go back to Swansea after they sacked Garry Monk and is thought to be happy to wait for another big job.

In three years at Liverpool Rodgers managed to get Liverpool back towards the top and came close to winning the title.

 

Rodgers came close to winning the title at Liverpool

 

But last year he saw them slide back towards mediocrity and was sacked after a poor start to this season.

Jurgen Klopp replaced him and saw an initial improvement but has struggled with injuries and consistency in recent weeks.

Rodgers is still highly regarded at Chelsea and SkyBet have made him the 7/2 favourite to be in place at Stamford Bridge for the start of next season.

Guardiola is joint-second favourite with Hiddink at 5/1, while Antonio Conte and Diego Simeone are at 6/1.